Promise
by Eun-Jung
Summary: After living in Edo with Kaede, Rin adjusts to life with humans. However she makes a promise to herself and to Sesshomaru to remain by his side forever. How will she keep her word when her humanity and time are against her? Set after manga series
1. First

**Disclaimer**: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.

**Author's note (24.06.2009):** This story is set after the manga series' end.

* * *

**Promise  
First**

* * *

"Rin-chan."

The teenage girl turned to face Sango with a smile. "Yes, Sango-sama?"

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" the former demon slayer sighed with a shake of her head. "You don't have to be so formal. Anyway, what brings you over here? I thought you would be with Kaede-sama at Kagome-chan's house right now." Sango grinned knowingly. "She's going to give birth soon."

"Kaede-sama sent me to get some things from our hut that we had forgotten," the younger girl answered. "She also wanted me to tell Miroku-sama to get Inuyasha-sama and Shippou-chan out of the village for some days. She's afraid that they'll cause trouble for Anee-ue if they stay."

"Ah, I see." With a sigh, the former demon-slayer began walking back towards her home. "I'll go tell my husband his duties for you while you get what you need. I'll come by Kagome-chan's later when Miroku and Inuyasha are out of the village. Shippou-chan won't be a problem since he's gone off training."

"Thank you, Sango-_san_." The teenage girl bowed in thanks and went on her way.

Rin smiled happily as she walked. She had been living with Kaede for some time now—the fifth anniversary of Naraku's defeat had only been a moon ago, the second anniversary of Kagome's return to their world. When Sesshoumaru had first left Rin in this human village five years ago, she had been most unhappy. She had felt abandoned and unwanted until Kaede explained that it was her idea to keep Rin with her. Since the little girl was growing up, there were things that she needed to know as a human woman; and since Kaede herself was old and lonely, what better a way to solve everyone's problems than to have Rin live with Kaede for a while? Rin would learn what she needed to know, and Kaede would have some company for the time being. The elderly priestess promised that Rin would only stay in Edo as long as it took for her to properly care for herself. Afterwards, if Rin desired, she could return to Sesshoumaru's side.

_But would he want me back?_ That had been Rin's fear when she had first parted from her lord. Granted, Kaede told Rin that it had been the priestess' idea to keep the girl in Edo; but it had been Sesshoumaru to allow the young girl to stay in the village. Since he had willingly given Rin up, would he willingly want her back?

Fortunately, Rin's fears were easily laid to rest when Sesshoumaru had first visited with Jaken and a new hairpin. During his brief visit, the Lord of the West had ordered Rin to behave properly and to quickly learn her lessons—only then would she be allowed to return to Sesshoumaru if she so desired. He had also added that Rin would have to look presentable while she stayed in the village, thus the gift of the ivory hairpin with inlaid jade leaves and gold flowers.

And so Sesshoumaru would visit every other week with a new gift for Rin's improvement and a message or a remark on her growth and maturity. And with every visit during the passing years, Rin grew confident in her return to her Sesshoumaru-sama. After all, he continued to visit her despite his time-consuming business and her removal from his company; and Rin's progress seemed to please him well enough. Sesshoumaru would surely take her back once all was said and done.

"Ne, we don't have time to think those things now!" Rin exclaimed while she sprinted towards the hut that she shared with Kaede. "Anee-ue will be giving birth to her first child right now. She needs Rin to be there and ready!" She quickly fetched the things she had been sent to retrieve and ran back towards Kagome's home.

"Rin-chan, please get Sango for me," Kaede ordered as soon as Rin entered the hut. "I think this delivery will be a little difficult, and having Sango here might help Kagome."

"Yes, of course Kaede-sama!" Rin turned to the laboring younger priestess and briefly comforted, "Do your best, Anee-ue! I'll be right back with Sango-san." Dutifully Rin ran towards Sango's hut not too far away, calling out, "Sango-san! Sango-san, Kaede-sama needs you!"

Looking up from her housework, the young mother watched Rin run towards her. "Eh?"

"Sango-san, you need to go to Anee-ue's quickly! Kaede-sama said that she needs your help. She says that the delivery might be a little difficult with Anee-ue."

"Ai! Really?" Reflexively Sango handed Rin her youngest child while she quickly readied herself to go to her friend. "Okay, well the twins have been fed and are playing outside in the flower field right now. If you need to feed Hiroki, then—"

"There's some gruel ready for him inside," Rin finished with a smile. "And if that's not good enough, I know my way around your home, Sango-san, to feed him something suitable. And I'll be sure to give the twins something when we come back from the fields."

"Thank you so much, Rin-chan."

"Yes, yes—now hurry! Anee-ue needs you!"

Once Rin saw Sango disappear towards Kagome's hut, she slung the napping Hiroki over her shoulder, tightened the baby sling against her back, and walked towards the fields outside of the village where the twins supposedly played. When Rin saw the two younger girls frolicking through the grass and flowers, she smiled. They reminded her of herself years ago when she had traveled with Sesshoumaru.

"Onee-chan!" the twin girls laughed while running towards her. "Onee-chan, will you teach us how to make flower crowns? You know like the ones you made for Haha-ue and Oba-sama yesterday. Oba-sama said that you're the best at making them."

"Okay," Rin agreed readily. Seating herself on the ground and resting the sleeping Hiroki in her lap, Rin told the little girls, "Just be sure you collect enough flowers with long stems, okay? That's the key to making the best crowns."

"As you say," the girls giggled while running back into the grass. Haruna, dressed in blue-green, returned with white flowers while Hina, dressed in yellow and white, came back with orange ones in her arms. Arranging the flowers for their "big sister," the girls obediently sat by Rin and diligently watched her work as she made a flower crown. The twins easily learned what they needed to do, and soon everyone wore a flower crown or necklace. They played in the field for a few more hours, even taking a brief nap with Hiroki for some minutes. When Rin noticed the sun sinking towards the trees, she collected Sango's children together.

"Ne, let's go back home now," Rin suggested while rising to her feet and brushing grass off of herself and Hiroki. Having woken up during all the playing, the little two-year old boy stood by Rin and held her hand. "The three of you must be hungry, and maybe your mother came back from Anee-ue's."

"Can we visit Oba-sama?" Hina and Haruna inquired excitedly. "Can we meet the new baby?"

"Baby," Hiroki agreed with a nod.

The teenage girl smiled at her three charges. "No, we can't visit Anee-ue today. She'll be very tired and fussed over by Kaede-sama and your mother. And Inuyasha-sama should be returning soon with your father. There won't be any room for us to visit Anee-ue."

"But we wanted to give Oba-sama these!" They held up the flower circlets in their hands.

"Flowers, Bashama," Hiroki added.

"All right, all right," Rin surrendered with good nature. "We'll stop by Anee-ue to see how she's doing. But if we get there and can't go in, you have to promise to wait tomorrow."

"Yes!"

Satisfied by their response, Rin led the three younger children back to the village. Haruna and Hina excitedly skipped ahead and around while Hiroki hummed some made up tune while swinging hands with Rin. Noticing Hiroki tiring from the walk, Rin put him in the sling on her back and then held the twins' hands instead. Just as they were about to reenter Edo, a thundering of hooves came from behind them.

"Bandits!" a villager yelled while pointing towards the woods behind Rin. "Bandits are coming!"

"Onee-chan," the girls cried fearfully as they clutched at her hands.

"Don't cry—we have to run quickly. It'll be all right," Rin assured as she pulled the two little girls along with her. "Let's hurry and find your parents. Come on, run!"

Rin did not see the looming shadow above her.

"Onee-chan!"

* * *

"Sesshoumaru-sama, did we not visit Rin three days ago?" Jaken inquired as he held onto the mokomoko with all his strength. "Why are we returning to the village so soon? We aren't due to return for another eleven days, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

The demon lord said nothing as he continued his flight towards Inuyasha's village. Granted, his little green retainer was right: Sesshoumaru had already seen Rin and was not scheduled to see her for another eleven days. However, for the last hour a most unnerving feeling had overtaken him, a feeling that urged him to return to his human ward—something was greatly amiss. So against his better judgment, Sesshoumaru found himself returning to Edo as fast as he could possibly go.

He could smell the chaos miles before he saw the village.

"They're being attacked." That being said, Sesshoumaru increased his speed towards Rin, the unfamiliar feeling of fear growing inside of him. When he finally reached the outskirts of the village, the sky glowed red and black from the setting sun and rising smoke from a number of burning houses. Cracking his clawed fingers, Sesshoumaru descended into the human village with fiery anger in his golden eyes. Still attached to his master's mokomoko, Jaken gulped, praying to the gods that Rin was safe.

_For the safety of this village and everything in it, I hope Rin is all right._

When Sesshoumaru stopped in the middle of the village, Jaken jumped off of the mokomoko and hastily called out, "Rin! Rin, where are you? Answer, Rin!" He started running towards the woods. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I will get Ah-Un and find Rin!"

Leaving Jaken behind to do what he wanted, Sesshoumaru sprinted through the worn streets, searching for Rin. He could not smell her light, fragrant scent through the smoke and blood hanging heavy in the air; and he felt grateful that he could not locate her by her blood's scent. Thus far, she was unharmed—but for how much longer? _Where are you, Rin? What has happened to you?_

"Take your brother and go!"

"But you! Onee-chan!"

"Listen to your Onee-chan and go! Run as fast as you can! Don't look back and go!"

Sesshoumaru's ears perked at the familiar voice. He strained his hearing to ignore the many screams and yells echoing through Edo because of the attack.

"Onee-chan!"

"Let me go! Let Rin go!"

"Heh, your hairpin and kimono should bring in some good money—ow! That dumb bitch bit me!"

"This is Sesshoumaru-sama's gift to Rin! You can't have it! You'll never take it!"

Immediately Sesshoumaru dashed towards the voice that he knew so well.

"Get back here!"

"Kyaah!"

Sesshoumaru appeared on the scene in time to see Rin running away from a bandit. The dog demon wondered why Rin did not run towards the empty street to her left until he noticed the small children hiding in the shadows. He made motions to rescue his ward when he realized that she had already been caught by her pursuer.

The world stopped when Sesshoumaru saw the bandit's sword go through Rin.

"Onee-chan!" the twins shrieked from their hiding place, giving themselves away.

Before the man even had a chance to gloat over his action, Sesshoumaru decapitated him with his claws. With one hand the demon lord killed all oncoming bandits with cold precision and silent fury. By the time he finished slaughtering the offenders, one of the human girls from earlier had propped Rin's head onto her lap while the other tried consoling her baby brother.

"Move."

Jumping in fear, the small girl turned and looked up into the most frightening glare she had ever seen in her life. Without sound or argument, Hina gently placed Rin's head on the ground and shuffled towards her brother and sister.

With delicacy and care he thought impossible for himself, Sesshoumaru lifted Rin into his arms. He fought back a growl while tracing her pale cheek with a free hand.

Hearing the familiar rumble, Rin fluttered her eyes open to a pleasant surprise. "Sesshoumaru-sama…" Tears brimmed her brown eyes. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you're here…"

"Don't speak."

And for the first time in her life and probably the last as well, Rin disobeyed him. "Sesshoumaru-sama, please, don't be angry with the village. Rin was the foolish one… so please, Sesshoumaru-sama, don't be angry with them. This was Rin's fault—she shouldn't have tried to fight, she should have run. So please…please don't be angry with anyone in the village." He growled in annoyance, wondering why at a time like this Rin would not care more about herself. Even now, she remained as selfless as ever, thinking about the fate of those hapless humans.

"This Sesshoumaru is not angry with anyone, Rin."

"Really?"

"There is only concern for you right now."

"Sesshoumaru-sama." When Rin reached out for him, he encased her little hand in his larger one while allowing the other to caress his cheek. "Thank you for coming to save Rin. Even though you're very busy, Sesshoumaru-sama came for Rin." Tears made wet trails down her dirty face while she smiled at the demon lord. "Thank you so much, Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin is very grateful that Sesshoumaru-sama has thought this much of her."

Again, fear attacked Sesshoumaru. But now it crawled up his throat with another strange emotion: sadness. "Rin…"

The young lady buried her face into his chest, clutching the edges of his clothes. "I'm scared, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm scared of not being with you," she whimpered as tears began spilling from dark chocolate eyes. "I wanted to be with you forever… Rin wanted to be with Sesshoumaru-sama forever."

He could not find the words to say that she would be with him. He could not refute the fact that she would leave his side, that he would lose her…that she would die. Already in this small amount of time, Rin had lost so much blood—and Sesshoumaru could not use Tenseiga on her again.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, is Rin allowed to return to you?" she asked quietly. "May I return to you and try staying with you forever? May Rin promise to return to be with you forever?"

"Do as you will."

From the sound of his quiet reply, she could hear his eagerness at her promise. Hope swelled inside of her as relief swept through her. Sesshoumaru-sama did not hate her; he did not mind her being with him; he wanted her to return to his side when she could. "Then that is what Rin will do. No matter where you are or how much time passes, Rin will find a way back to Sesshoumaru-sama's side," she sniffled while pressing herself closer to her lord. "No matter where or when, Rin will always come back to Sesshoumaru-sama. Forever."

He could sense her life ebbing away ever faster. Her breath became shallow; her body grew colder; her hand on his hakama loosened. _No…Don't go, Rin._

"RIN!" Jaken noisily rushed to Sesshoumaru and Rin, tripping at least five times in his panicked state. Ah-Un followed the little imp towards his master. "Rin, are you all right? Rin, answer me!"

"Jaken-sama?" she whispered weakly.

"Rin!" The tears swelled into Jaken's eyes as he realized Rin's condition.

"Jaken-sama, I'm sorry. Rin wanted to travel with Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken-sama again. I wanted to go with you again and this time not be a burden to you. I'm sorry that I won't be able to do that."

"Rin, just save your strength!" the toad demon cried. "Save your strength and it'll be fine! For once listen to me, you stupid brat!"

The two-headed dragon moved towards the girl and nuzzled her gently with both heads. Like any other demon, he could sense death and its nearness to his precious caretaker. At this stage, all he wanted to do was give her comfort in her final moments. "Ah-Un," Rin smiled. She petted him with the little strength that she had left. "Thank you."

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes narrowed at the quietness of her voice.

As her hand dropped away from Ah-Un's muzzles, she laboriously turned her gaze upwards to the one she held dearest to her heart. "Rin knows that Sesshoumaru-sama is very busy, but…but will you stay with Rin just a little longer?" Her eyes drooped closed. "Will you stay with Rin until she's asleep? I'm so tired, but I don't want to be alone. Rin is afraid to go to sleep alone."

Sesshoumaru held her closer to him as he pressed his forehead against hers. Through clenched teeth, he murmured into her ear, "This Sesshoumaru will stay with you until you sleep. You have nothing to fear, Rin."

"Thank you…Sesshoumaru-sama."

After minutes of absolute silence, Sesshoumaru laid Rin down and stepped away.

"Onee-chan?" Hina and Haruna whispered fearfully. They ran to her side and shook her gently. "Onee-chan! Onee-chan, please open your eyes! Wake up, Onee-chan!"

Rin remained motionless.

Haruna turned to weeping Jaken, the five-year old shaking him and demanding for an answer. "Why won't she wake up?"

"Neenee!" Hiroki bawled.

"Onee-chan," Hina cried while holding her little brother.

With his back turned to them, the dog demon ordered, "Stay with her."

Through his wailing and tears, Jaken found the power to nod at Sesshoumaru's command: not that he would have left Rin's body either way. Even Hina and Haruna reflexively answered the order, instinctively knowing that the dog demon should not be disobeyed. Ah-Un sat beside the group and curled his body protectively around them.

Sesshoumaru did not even wait for an answer. He knew with or without a command that Jaken would watch Rin's body and that Ah-Un would keep them untouched. Sesshoumaru dashed deeper into the village to sate his anger without interruption.

* * *

"There are more people here!" Miroku shouted while lifting up a fallen plank. Inuyasha leapt to his side and helped his friend push away the heavy burning wood to rescue the villagers underneath. "Go, head towards the hill with Kikyou-sama's shrine," Miroku ordered the people as he helped them to their feet. "Kaede-sama is there with others. You'll be safe there."

"Get down!" Inuyasha shouted while jumping over the humans. With one fierce swipe he took down three attacking bandits. "Damn it, there are so many of them. We better hurry and get rid of the ones we can."

Miroku shot a glance towards the large hill. "Do you think that they're okay?"

"Sango can take care of herself," the half-demon reminded as he scanned the area for more villagers. "And Kagome and the old bat can handle a good few bandits with their arrows. Shippou's with them, so that's a plus. We're lucky that he came back when he did. Now come on, let's do our part and get rid of these bastards."

Nodding, the priest followed his friend deeper into the village when he noticed something flying overhead. In surprise, he stopped and pointed, "Look, isn't that Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Stopping as well, Inuyasha glanced upwards and shivered at the killer look in his older brother's eyes. "Shit, Miroku, we need to evacuate the village."

"But what about those bandits? If we don't take care of them right now, they'll—"

"No, I mean NOW!" the half-demon bellowed as he picked up some straggling humans nearby and ran in the opposite direction of Sesshoumaru. "We have to get out of here right now. If we rescue the villagers, we won't have to worry about the bandits. Didn't you see that look in Sesshoumaru's eyes? I'm sure you can sense his killing intent. He's on a damn rampage. I think he's going to kill indiscriminately."

"What?" Miroku took two children from their parents and motioned the adults to follow him. At full speed, he chased after Inuyasha and questioned, "But why? Why is Sesshoumaru-sama rampaging here and now?"

"I'm going to guess it has to do with Rin," Inuyasha frowned while sniffing the air. "It's really faint, under everything else that's going on right now, but it's there: Rin's blood…Sesshoumaru had Rin's blood on him."

Miroku's eyes widened in shock. "Oh no."

"Miroku! Inuyasha!"

Returning the rescued children to their parents, Miroku met his wife at the top of the hill and embraced her with a sigh of relief. "Good, you're safe. Sango, is everyone else okay?"

The young woman nodded while holding her trusted Hiraikotsu behind her. "Not many bandits came up this way, and Shippou and I were able to take care of any that came near. For some time now no one has come here."

"What about Kagome?" Inuyasha demanded worriedly.

"She and your son are fine," Sango answered reassuringly. "Right now, she's resting with Kaede-sama watching over her and the child. She's only tired from being moved so suddenly after the birth—but nothing is wrong." She then turned to her husband. "Did you see Rin-chan with the children?"

"The children?" Miroku grabbed Sango's arms. "The children aren't with you?"

His wife shook her head. "No, I had to go to Kagome-chan's to help her with the delivery, so I left Hiroki with Rin-chan to watch. She went to the fields to get Haruna and Hina. I didn't see them when we retreated here, so I thought maybe you had found them."

"No, I didn't see them. I—" Miroku stiffened and his face paled. He directed his gaze towards the burning village below while muttering, "No, it can't be…"

"What's wrong?"

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called out while running down the hill at break-neck speed. "We have to find Rin-chan! My children are with Rin-chan!"

The half-demon's gold eyes grew wide as he realized the implication of the situation. "Shit—oh, shit, this is bad." He picked up Sango and flew after Miroku.

"Inuyasha, what's going on?" Sango demanded as Inuyasha carried her on his back.

"Earlier, we saw Sesshoumaru going into the village on a rampage," Inuyasha answered while leaping high into the air. "He had the scent of Rin's blood on him…and he looked ready to kill anything that moved."

Sango's hands tightened on Inuyasha's shoulders and on her weapon. "You don't mean…"

"I don't know," the white-haired man honestly responded. "I really don't know. That's why we need to find Rin fast. More than likely your kids are with her. If we find Rin, we can find them. And then all of us can safely get out of Sesshoumaru's way."

Gazing downwards at the village, Sango and Inuyasha frantically searched for the children. After the half-demon's third leap into the air, Sango pointed towards the west side of the village. "Look! There they are! I see Haruna and Hina with Sesshoumaru-sama's dragon."

"Yeah, you're right." As they fluttered towards the ground, Inuyasha waved and shouted towards Miroku, "We found them. They're over there!" Once his feet touched the ground, the half-demon sprinted as quick as he could towards the place he had seen the children. He and Miroku arrived at the same time, allowing mother and father to rush towards their children together.

Seeing their mother and father, the twins left Ah-Un's protection towards the arms of their parents. "Chichi-ue! Haha-ue!"

"Are you all right?" Sango demanded while kissing her children in great relief. When she finished with one daughter, Miroku took the girl and held her and kissed her as well. "Is Hiroki okay? Where is he? Where is your little brother?"

"Ah, Onee-chan took care of him," the girls assured with small hiccups. They pointed towards the sleeping form between Ah-Un's front legs. "He fell asleep from crying."

"Where is Rin-chan?"

The girls pointed towards the body resting motionlessly beside Ah-Un. Jaken could be seen sobbing over it.

"Oh no." Leaving his children with their mother, Miroku with Inuyasha ran towards the still girl. Just as Miroku was about to check her vitals, a deep voice growled severely, "Do not touch her."

From the shadows, Sesshoumaru emerged, his usual white hakama and clean armor speckled and spattered with human blood. Crimson even streaked across his face and stained his hands with its sickening color and metallic smell. His golden orbs simmered with intense emotions, feelings that no one dared to touch. Intimidated by his appearance, everyone took one step back from the enraged dog demon. Miroku and Inuyasha felt lightning course through their bodies when Sesshoumaru shot a glare at them, warning them again, "Step away from her."

Obediently the priest retreated back to his family's side. Inuyasha, however, stood his ground and explained, "Hey, we're only trying to help. Maybe we can even heal—"

"Fool," the elder brother snapped. Pushing the sobbing Jaken aside, Sesshoumaru bent down and gingerly lifted Rin into his arms. Without even looking at his younger sibling, Sesshoumaru said, "Use your senses properly. She is beyond healing."

"Sesshoumaru-sama, couldn't you—couldn't you use your sword Tenseiga to save Rin-chan?" Sango asked gently, hoping the inquiry would not offend. From past experience, she knew quite well the extent of Sesshoumaru's feelings for Rin and the magnitude of his anger; therefore, she knew that they would have to tread lightly to avoid his wrath.

"That's right," Miroku said while clapping a fist on top of his palm. "Tenseiga is known for being able to rescue one hundred allies in one swing. Surely you could use it to revive Rin."

At the mention of Tenseiga's abilities, Sesshoumaru frowned and growled quietly, "It is impossible."

"What the hell are you saying? Don't tell me that you've lost the ability to use it," Inuyasha scoffed at his brother's answer. "Honestly, when we need it most, you can't even—"

Sesshoumaru barked sharply at Inuyasha, demanding silence. "It is impossible to revive someone twice with Tenseiga."

A lump formed in Sango's throat as she croaked, "Twice you say?"

When Sesshoumaru did not answer, Jaken explained to the group in sobs, "Rin has already been revived once by Tenseiga. She—she cannot be brought back a second time."

Sesshoumaru looked at the still girl in his arms with a gaze no one believed him capable of. "Now this Sesshoumaru will only say it once: get out of the way."

Everyone moved clear of him and said not a word as he walked into the shadows of Inuyasha's forest.


	2. Second

**Disclaimer**: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.

**Author's note (25.06.2009):** Because Rin's name was never written in kanji, there are a number of ways to interpret Rin's name: companion, forest, little flower, etc. I have no idea how Rumiko Takahashi wanted Rin's name to be understood, but for the sake of this story, I will say that I have purposely adopted the meaning "forest" for Rin, even though I high suspect the meaning Takahashi wanted was "companion."

* * *

**Promise  
Second**

* * *

As the sun rose higher into the sky, Edo bustled and began to heal as its people started rebuilding their homes and their lives. Kaede's house, the first one everyone had rebuilt, became filled with the injured and the recuperating. Children ran around and played where they could, some trying their best to recover whatever belongings they could from the burnt remains of their houses. Women did their best to scrounge for food while recreating their fields and gardens for their families. Men moved busily between bare skeletal structures and the woods as they raised their homes from their ashes.

A little away from the lively village, Miroku and Inuyasha repaired the priest's home. Fortunately for Miroku and his lovely wife, their house had escaped excessive damage and the major fire due to its separation from the heart of the village. Granted a number of their belongings had been stolen, but those would be recovered once Kaede and the village leader found the time to sort through the recovered property from the bandits. Besides, nothing truly important had been stolen from them…except for one thing.

_But she wasn't stolen from only us_, Miroku noted solemnly. _She's been taken from everyone that knew her...especially from _him_. Speaking of which..._"It's been days," Miroku remarked out loud while mending the final hole in his roof. "Shouldn't we search for him?"

Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder and into the forest with a scowl. He knew perfectly well who Miroku spoke about. "No, we should stay clear of him until he comes back out on his own. I'm sure that if anyone were to go in after him now, that person would be dead before taking three steps in the forest." The dog-eared man shook his white head as he put down usable wood beside the house. "I have never seen or felt Sesshoumaru this angry before, even at me."

"Aye, I do not think anyone here as ever felt a presence so volatile," Kaede agreed as she came near. "His aura is so intimidating that all of the local demons have fled in fear of him. It is like that time when Naraku made his final attack upon our village."

"What brings you here, Kaede-sama?" Sango asked while helping the elderly woman sit on a tree stump. "I didn't think you would have the time to visit us with so many people to take care of."

"That is what brings me here," Kaede sighed with some fatigue. "I am in need of assistance, and I was wondering if you would lend your daughters to me, Sango. If they could, I would like them to help me gather some herbs and roots that I need. Shippou is already kindly helping me, but I am afraid that the work is too much for us both." Everyone felt the painful implication, _But if _she_ were here, it would be different._

"Of course," the young mother nodded. "Haruna and Hina would be happy to help, and I'm sure their friends will as well."

With that problem fixed, Kaede faced Inuyasha and continued from before, "Do you know when your elder brother will return from the forest and cease his anger? Do you think you could follow after him and learned what has happened to Rin's body?"

Within the five years Kaede had spent with Rin, the elderly priestess had come to regard the girl as a dear granddaughter. So naturally, Kaede worried over Rin receiving the formal final rites and being properly laid to rest. How could any of that be seen to with Sesshoumaru stealing away the girl's body?

"Even Jaken, who never leaves Sesshoumaru's side, won't go to look for him," Inuyasha said while folding his arms into his long sleeves. He completely understood Kaede's concern; he was as worried over Rin's body as any of them. However, everyone seemed to fail to grasp a key point. "I'm serious, you guys. I never thought that I would say this, but just leave Sesshoumaru alone. He can take care of himself and he'll come out on his own. He won't stay in there forever—his damn pride would never let him."

Following Inuyasha's advice, everyone said nothing more and did not inquire further about Sesshoumaru. No one dared to approach Inuyasha's forest for days on end, knowing that a great dog demon lord resided it in fury. Through those days and for a time to come, bandits never came near Edo again.

* * *

"Oh, Rin!" Jaken cried pitifully while hugging the Staff of Two Heads against him. "Why did you have to die?"

"Now, now," Kaede comforted while handing him some tea. "All living things meet an end. It is just unfortunate that Rin had to meet hers in this way." The elderly woman sighed while looking into the forest through her window. "Indeed, I would have liked it if that child had lived out her life. She was incredible, especially being able to reach Sesshoumaru-dono in a way no else has."

"Undoubtedly Sesshoumaru-sama feels Rin's death more than anyone," Jaken sobbed as he accepted the priestess' offer of tea. "Oh, if only his disposition would allow him, he would shed more tears than myself! So in his place I must cry for him!"

"Keh, I don't think that's necessary," Inuyasha grumbled as he walked into Kaede's home. With a large bundle in her arms, Kagome followed her husband. She moved to Jaken's side and sat by him to console him.

"I heard what happened to Rin-chan," Kagome said softly while patting Jaken. "I'm sorry. I know that she was very important to you and Sesshoumaru. She was special to us as well." Indeed, Kagome had spent the last month recovering from childbirth and only now had enough strength to move about on her own. The others had told her what had happened to Rin, and Kagome felt terrible that she could not have done anything for Rin whom Kagome had regarded as a little sister.

"So how long do you think Sesshoumaru is going to stay there?" Inuyasha asked while leaning against the doorpost. He stared towards woods with furrowed brows. "It's been over a moon cycle, and we haven't seen any signs of him coming out. And he isn't gone—his scent is everywhere, not to mention you can still feel his presence lurking in the forest."

"Even I, who has been with Sesshoumaru-sama for many centuries, do not know what he will do next," Jaken sighed a little hopelessly. "I have only ever seen Sesshoumaru-sama this grieved once briefly, but then his honorable mother had instantly remedied his sorrows with her powers. For this instance, I cannot even begin to fathom Sesshoumaru-sama's intent."

"So you have no idea either." Inuyasha growled in frustration. "This really is bad."

"Inuyasha, he cared for her very much," Kagome chided as she cradled her sleeping son. "Rin-chan was very important to him—it's no surprise that he's like this right now. You need to give him time to mourn for her properly."

"I'm not worried about what he's doing now. I'm worried about what he's going to do after he's done." The demi dog demon's ears twitched in agitation. "Rin was left with us, in our village. In a way, we were expected to take care of her—but she died. Rin was killed while being left with us. How do you think Sesshoumaru is going to take that once he gets over his grief?"

Kagome gasped. Snorting, Inuyasha grumbled, "Undoubtedly, I'm going to get a beating when that bastard shows his face. But that's not the big problem." His golden gaze fell upon his son, concern etched into Inuyasha's expression. "I'm afraid…I think he might go after Miroku's brats…He might even take it out on Yuuma."

"Surely Sesshoumaru-sama is better than that!" Jaken snapped from his place. While he waved the Staff of Two Heads, the tiny demon shouted indignantly, "He would never attack a human infant, even if it's yours, Inuyasha! Besides, Rin fondly spoke of your child and the priest's offspring constantly. Sesshoumaru-sama would never hurt anything Rin loved so much!"

At the mention of Rin's affection, Kagome regarded her precious baby in her arms. "It's very sad to think that Rin-chan left the world the same day you came into it. And she was looking very forward to meeting you…she even promised to help me care for you."

"Rin!" Jaken blubbered, his tears sprung anew. "Oh, Rin! Why?"

"We've done as you've ordered, Kaede-sama," Miroku said while he and Sango entered the hut. He noted the wailing Jaken with a gaze full of pity. "We've warned all of the villagers to steer clear of Inuyasha's forest until we tell them otherwise. They've been directed to collect wood and food towards the opposite way."

"And we've also sternly told the children to keep away from the forest," Sango added. "Even though I doubt Sesshoumaru-sama would attack them, there's nothing wrong with being careful."

"Good, good," Kaede sighed, relieved. "You know, despite the danger Sesshoumaru-dono presents to us in his anger, his presence is rather calming and assuring. Since he has been here, there has not been any trouble from human or demon. I wonder if we will have such protection and easy living when he finally leaves us."

"Well, you're about to find out," Inuyasha murmured as he stood straight and alert. "He's coming."

Sensing what her husband had, Kagome stood up and moved directly behind Inuyasha. She kept her eyes on one point of the forest, feeling a mass concentration of demon energy from it. Soon Sesshoumaru emerged from the forest, his countenance as clean and impeccable as anyone could remember—one would not have thought that he had been endlessly mourning for one month straight. Effortlessly he took flight and landed gracefully before his brother; Inuyasha and Kagome walked outside to meet him. Overwhelmed by the sight of his master, Jaken ran to Sesshoumaru in tears.

For everyone's sake and dying curiosity, Inuyasha bravely ventured to ask, "What did you do with Rin?"

Surprisingly, his brother responded civilly, "She rests beneath the thousand-year old tree in the center of the forest." Sesshoumaru looked down and Jaken and brusquely ordered, "Collect Ah-Un. We're leaving."

"At once, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken exclaimed while scurrying off to find the two-headed dragon. Presently Ah-Un was with Hina and Haruna, the dragon taking to the twin girls as a way to cope for Rin's loss.

Seeing his orders being obeyed, Sesshoumaru then turned to leave but not before sending a look towards Kagome. Over his shoulder the demon murmured to her, "She liked flowers."

"Huh?" Kagome gazed up towards her brother-in-law.

"Rin liked flowers," Sesshoumaru repeated reluctantly. "But there are very few where she rests." He said nothing more as he took to the sky and away from the village.

As she watched his form shrink into the vast, open blue, Kagome smiled sadly. "I understand."

Turning to Sango, Kagome asked her, "Will you and your children help me pick some flowers for Rin-chan? I'm sure she would like it very much."

"Of course," Sango tried to smile without crying. "I'm sure they would like to do that for her as well."

* * *

Compassion for humanity had always led Sesshoumaru's family astray: his father, his mongrel of a half-brother…Always, their problems stemmed from human women that only left the dog demons tamed and dead.

But instead of Sesshoumaru, _she_ was dead.

And what was he left with? All Sesshoumaru felt were bitter feelings that he never would have had if he were what he had been before. If he were more like traditional demons, he would not have emotions at all. So why had his father treasured humans so much? Why had he valued the weakness that they had given him?

_Joy._

Sesshoumaru blinked at his own revelation.

Joy—the pleasant feeling Sesshoumaru had felt every time he had returned from a conquest or a journey and Rin had greeted him with her smiling face; the relief he had felt when his mother had returned life to the soulless girl; the satisfaction he had felt when he had rescued Rin from Naraku the second and final time.

Indeed, the demon lord had felt joy, something he had never truly experienced until he had met Rin. And now he felt despair—despair that could not be tempered as Rin had usually done for him.

Sesshoumaru stopped by the Bone Eater's Well and stared at it with a blank expression. _Didn't Inuyasha's wench come from this?_ Thinking of Kagome, Sesshoumaru's thoughts took off on another branch. _She's the reincarnation of his first human woman. She came from a future time and returned to Inuyasha's side. She came back to him, even though so much time had passed between them…_

_"No matter where you are or how much time passes, Rin will find a way back to Sesshoumaru-sama's side. Rin will always come back to Sesshoumaru-sama. Forever."_

_She promised forever._ Sesshoumaru huffed. _But how can she keep it when she is dead?_ Glancing at the well, Sesshoumaru frowned at the progression of his thoughts. _No, Rin cannot pass through time as the priestess had—she has no special powers nor the assistance of the Shikon shards. There is nothing that would connect her next self to this time. And what assurances are there that Rin has even reincarnated?_

Despite all this, Sesshoumaru tore his gaze away from the well and looked to the sky with a rare forlorn expression. He closed his eyes as the wind blew by.

_Rin, return to me._

* * *

"Hey, Kei-chan! Hurry up!"

"Okay, okay!" The sixteen-year old girl climbed up the temple stairs with her friends as quickly as she could without losing her shoes. Dressed in a pale yellow yukata with golden-orange sunflowers scarcely printed across the light fabric, the young lady chattered and laughed with her group of friends until they reached the top.

"Wow, there are a lot more people here than I thought there would be," one of the girls, Chisato, remarked as she looked around the grounds. Wearing a blue yukata with orange embroidered gold fish, Chisato had her arms linked with her best friend, the girl in the sunflower yukata. "There weren't this many people at the temple during the festival during the past."

"Well, ever since Higurashi-kun's older sister had her love-wish come true, all the girls from our school come here every festival," a shorter girl, Naoko, commented from beside Chisato. "They say that his sister wished on the well at the temple to meet her true love, and while she was starting junior high she met him. Once she graduated high school, she moved away and married him." Naoko giggled and sighed at the story. "Higurashi-kun says that they've been happy ever since."

"Why is it always for love?" Chisato sighed with a shake of her head.

Miki, standing beside the girl in the sunflower yukata, snickered, "Hey, it was Kei-chan's idea to come here."

Another girl, walking alongside the tall Miki, sighed while she straightened her pink, orange, and white yukata and fixed her luxurious hair. "Yeah, she's always searching for _that person_." The primped girl, Asami, rolled her long-lashed eyes as she said, "Honestly, you'd think she would be able to find him with all the boys that ask her out."

"Hey! Would you guys stop talking about me as if I'm not here? And I'm not looking for a boyfriend!"

Turning her intense gaze towards her friend, Asami covered her pretty pink lips with a finely manicured hand while chortling, "Oh, did the princess say something?"

"I'm not a princess!"

"Come on, Kei-chan!" Asami taunted her friend relentlessly. "You can't deny that your parents did right when they named you. You have nearly every boy in the first and second-year classes in love with you! Even Higurashi-kun likes you!"

Blushing, the high schooler retorted, "That's not true!"

"It is too!" Asami pouted while stomping her foot indignantly. "I saw you and him walking home together after school just yesterday!"

"We live in the same block and we've been friends since junior high—of course we walk home together! Kusa and I are just friends!"

"You even have nicknames for each other! Don't tell me that you don't have feelings for him!"

"I don't! And we have nicknames for each other too! You call me Kei-chan all the time!"

"Just admit it!" Asami glared, not listening to the other argument at all. "You're trying to steal my precious Higurashi-kun from me!"

"I am not! You're just being paranoid!"

While the sunflower girl and Asami continued to bicker, Miki turned to the other two girls and asked them, "So what did Asami-chan mean about Kei-chan? I thought that was her full name. How does she write her name again?"

Chisato explained while she wrote in the air, "It's written with the kanji 'beautiful' and 'forest': Keirin. But I think the second half fits better than first. Honestly, she'd live in the woods if no one stopped her. She's always running off into the woods and climbing trees whenever she has the chance—and her family name is Asagao."

"Ah, that's why you and Higurashi-kun call her Rin," Miki smirked. "I can't believe I didn't know that. Heh, playing off of her family name and part of her given name: little flower, huh?"

"Everyone, you're here," Souta called out while he walked up to the group of girls. The five girls stopped their separate conversations and smiled at their fellow classmate, who stood a head taller than any of them. Dressed in the traditional attire for a temple caretaker, Higurashi Souta stood handsomely in front the girls with his trademark grin. "I was beginning to think that you wouldn't show, Rin."

"Ah, we're finally here, Kusa," Keirin said, being able to break away from her "fight" with Asami. She smiled cheekily at him as she apologized, "Sorry that we're a bit late. It took me a little longer to get ready than I thought it would."

"Ah, don't worry about it," he waved off. Souta noticed an expensive hairpin in place of the usual hair-tie Keirin wore. Made of ivory with jade and gold used for details, the hairpin looked old and valuable: most likely a family heirloom only worn during special events such as the festival. "I think it's a good thing. You look a lot better than when you come to school so early in the morning."

"That's so mean, Kusa!" the girl sulked.

Hearing Keirin use his nickname Grass, Souta knew that she did not take any offense to his small jibe. "That blue suits you, Sen," he told Chisato casually as he turned his attentions to her, "I bet you helped Rin pick her yukata, right? She's always bad at picking clothes."

"I'm the one that actually helped Sen," Keirin protested while pointing at Chisato. "You're always complimenting Sen but being mean to me!"

Laughing, Souta continued teasing Keirin while Chisato tried to mediate between the two of them. Remembering his manners and turning to the other girls, Souta kindly explained, "We still have plenty of time before the fireworks start. While we're waiting, you could actually go to the well now and make your wishes." He reached out to take Keirin's hand, however—

"Let's go then!" Asami shouted excitedly while rushing on ahead with Souta in tow. Her friends stared at her disappearing form in dumbfounded surprise; Keirin especially watched with her mouth hanging open.

"Why is she so excited?" Miki questioned as she pushed her friends along towards the well. She laughed when Keirin woke up from her daze and chased after Souta and Asami.

Naoko snickered, "She's hoping to make someone her true love today."

"Ah, okay." Miki shook her head, knowing as well as anyone in their group how Asami felt about Souta. Indeed, since the beginning of the school year that spring, Asami had fallen head-over-heels in-love with Higurashi, and she had done everything within her power and ability to catch his attention. Unfortunately for her, he paid her less attention than he did Keirin, a girl he had become friends with during junior high. Furthermore, Asami had discovered this only after she had become good friends with Keirin. So every day, poor Asami felt the tortures of being near the one she loved but enviously watching her good friend steal the attentions of her crush.

"She knows that Higurashi-kun doesn't feel _that way_ about Kei-chan, right?" Naoko asked.

Sighing, Chisato replied, "Do you honestly think that she would even listen if we told her? Besides Rin and Kusa might as well be dating, considering all the time that they spend together. Even if all the guys at school are after her, no one is going to want to date her if they see how she and Kusa are together. It would make any romantic couple jealous."

"Sounds like someone is jealous, all right," Miki smirked while playfully elbowing Chisato. "You must be so terribly lonely when Higurashi-kun steals Kei-chan away from you. A little bitter, are we, Chisato-kun?"

Crossing her arms and turning away, Chisato pouted, "Hmph, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh good, Sen. You girls caught up," Souta grinned sweetly. "Yamada-san and Rin have already started." The young man led the remaining three girls to the front of the well shrine, where there stood a table with Souta's mother sitting behind it. After the girls had handed the lady a hundred yen, she happily gave them a piece of paper and pointed towards another table littered with pens. "Outside, you take these pieces here and write down your wish. Nowadays, people just write down a name for the person that they want to be with, but you can write down your wish if it's a little different."

Listening to Souta's instructions, the three girls grabbed a pen and wrote down their heartfelt desires. Asami and Keirin waited beside the table for their friends, their wishes already written.

Once everyone finished, Souta instructed, "Now, we'll go inside." The girls obediently followed the young man into the shrine, somewhat surprised to see a number of people already around the well. When the six senior high students found space by the well, Souta took out his own wish-paper and showed them their next steps. "Fold your paper, any way you want, and throw it into the well. If you can't hear your wish touch the bottom, it's been accepted. If you can," he smiled sheepishly, "you can always try again."

The five girls stared at him with incredulous expressions. _He's making money off of us..._

Recovering from their disbelief, the girls followed Souta's instructions. Chisato folded her paper four-ways and casually threw it down; Naoko turned hers into a crane and let it flutter down; Miki made a balloon and tossed it in the well; Asami crushed hers into a ball and chucked down the well as hard as she could; Keirin folded hers long-ways, made it into a knot, and with an earnest prayer, dropped it into the well. When they did not hear the expected rustle and crinkle of mass amounts of paper, the girls grinned happily to each other at their success.

"What did you wish for, Chisato-kun?" Miki asked with a chuckle.

"A shot at Tomo-senpai's spot this next coming season." She showed off her right arm. "I plan on leading our team to victory!"

"Ambitious," Miki whistled. "But a good wish. I want to make it to the Inter High next season. And what about you, Nao-chan?"

"Some strong luck for our next exam. I can't afford to drop another place. What did you wish for, Miki-chan?"

The tall girl gave Chisato a sly side look. "Oh, I just wished that a certain someone would receive some God-given courage and confess to the one she loves."

Understanding, Naoko speedily glanced at the blushing Chisato and giggled, "Who knows? Maybe she's waiting for the two obstacles to get out of her way?"

"Ha ha, that's a good one. Heh, and what about you, Higurashi-kun?"

Asami stomped her foot. "Hey, you're not going to ask me, Miki?"

"We ALL already know what you wished for. It's all you ever talk about," the tall girl said pointedly. Asami blushed, allowing Miki to turn to Souta next. "So, what did you wish for Higurashi-kun?"

"I made a wish for my grandfather's health."

"And what did you wish for, Kei-chan?"

Her cheeks pinked as she glanced sideways, reluctant to share her most heartfelt desire. At her silence, Souta only smiled. Putting an arm around Keirin's shoulder, he chuckled, "You made the same wish again, right?" Chisato, standing beside Souta, watched Keirin's face carefully to confirm the truth. When she saw Keirin shying away into Souta's arm, Chisato knew.

"Eh?" Miki, Naoko, and Asami exclaimed together. "You know what her wish is?"

"No, I don't, but I know that she makes the same one every year," was the knowing answer. "Her wish has been the same since junior high. The look on your face, Rin, says it every time."

Asami pouted in jealousy at the intimacy between Souta and Keirin. Deciding that she could not stand to watch them together for much more, Asami grabbed Souta's arm and inquired, "When are the fireworks going to start?"

Surprised by the girl's eagerness, Souta stammered, "Ah, they should be starting soon." He looked at his watch on his free hand and noted the time. "We should all go outside now. The fireworks will start in five minutes."

Hearing Souta's announcement, everyone inside the shrine began to leave.

Keirin followed her friends but stopped suddenly, feeling a tug on her yukata. She turned around, ready to encounter someone; however, all she saw was the well. Seeing no one around, Keirin felt puzzled. _Did I just imagine it?_ She then heard rustling from the well, the sound of hundreds of pieces of paper fluttering against each other. Curious, Keirin looked over the well's edge and down into its darkened depths. She leaned forward and called into it, "Anyone there?"

The rustling abruptly stopped.

"Hello?" Keirin called down again. "Is someone there?"

Silence.

_I swear I heard something. I guess I must be imagining that too..._

Looking around to be sure she was alone, Keirin pulled out another sheet of paper from her yukata and folded it and dropped it down the well. She clapped her hands twice and whispered earnestly, "Please lead me to the one I'm meant to be with! Please help me find him, the one I've been searching for!"

She opened one eye cautiously. When Keirin saw nothing had changed, she opened both eyes and sighed hopelessly. "I guess it didn't hear me."

She turned around to leave but felt something grab her yukata and pull.

A deep voice spoke to her.

_"Rin, return to me."_

"What?"

She then heard her own voice echo in the air.

_"No matter where or when, Rin will always come back to Sesshoumaru-sama. Forever."_

Before she could yelp in surprise or scream for help, Keirin felt herself dragged down into the well.


	3. Third

**Disclaimer**: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.

**Author's note (29.06.2009):** This story is mostly manga-based; I say "mostly" because the descriptions of some characters (more likely their colors) are based on the anime—unless there's been a colored image from the manga. Therefore, if there are inaccuracies in this story that do not agree with the manga, please feel free to inform me (such as events and happenings and/or characterizations). If there are disagreements with the anime, although not necessary, you may inform me of that as well if you so desire.

* * *

**Promise  
Third**

* * *

Solemnly and silently Ah-Un and Jaken marched after Sesshoumaru's trail. Already they were a mile behind, but their lord's scent and presence remained strong; they would have no trouble following him and eventually catching up with him. Besides, in the past before _she_ had joined their party, Sesshoumaru would travel days ahead of Jaken without rest. Only because of Rin had Sesshoumaru slackened his pace and had traveled with the others. But now…_Rin is gone._

Wiping away the forming tears and dripping snot, Jaken took a deep breath and set determination all over his face. He could not waste anymore time crying over the deceased, especially that little brat of a girl. Tears were for mere mortals, and Jaken needed to catch up with his Sesshoumaru-sama! The toad vassal, now alone and without burdens, would have no difficulties following his majestic master with the skills he had developed over the years.

As the two of them moved on through the woods, Ah-Un's ears suddenly pricked up. Before Jaken knew it, he flailed helplessly in the air as he held onto the dragon's reins for dear life. "Where are you going, you confounded beast?" the imp screeched with all his might. "Stop, stop I say!"

Ignoring Jaken's protests, Ah-Un raced through the woods and stopped at the Bone Eater's Well and stuck its two heads down it.

"What happened?" Keirin wondered as she looked right and left. All around her and beneath her were hundreds of folded wishes that people had thrown into the well. Looking upwards, the girl thought about how she would get out when she realized something. "Why can I see the sky? And why is it daytime now?"

She did not have much time to think about than when suddenly a figure darkened the top entrance. While squinting her eyes, she tried to make out the appearance of the shadow against the bright sky. Was it someone that would help her? "Oh!" Keirin exclaimed at the sight of a two-headed dragon looking down at her. Despite its fearsome appearance and smoldering sharp eyes, Keirin did not shy away from the creature; instead, she only drew closer to it. And when it shook its two heads to drop its reins into her reach, she faithfully grabbed them and had the dragon pull her out of the well.

_Is it weird that I'm not afraid? This is a real dragon in front of me—it feels warm, it has scales, it's breathing, and it helped me…_Keirin stopped her thinking to keep her head from spinning. She did not want to think about it right now, why a mythical beast such as a dragon stood in front of her on top of why it was daylight when it had been night only a few minutes prior.

"Damn it, you!" Jaken continued to shout as he jumped up from the ground where he had been tossed. Glaring at the beast, he pulled at its legs. "What is it you think you're doing? We must follow Sesshoumaru-sama! We have to catch up to him or else we'll be left behind!"

Of course, Ah-Un ignored the toad as usual as he tended to his new friend.

"Thank you very much for helping me," Keirin giggled as the creature nuzzled her affectionately. She gratefully hugged it back, which seemed to please it immensely. "I'm not sure what you are, but I'm glad that you found me. Thank you again for saving me from the well."

Moving towards the front to grab Ah-Un's reins, Jaken grumbled as he stomped, "Oh, you darn dragon, honestly what are you—RIN!"

"Ne?" The teenage girl stared at the little green imp and cocked her head to the side. "Did you call me?"

Jaken gaped like a goldfish as his brain tried to comprehend what stood before him.

Without a doubt, the girl in front of him was Rin; she had the same face, the same bright expression; her voice sounded the same, a young tone with cheeriness and endless delight; and she even wore a hairpin in the same place she had usually tied her hair!

"Rin, you're alive!" Again tears welled up in Jaken's froggy eyes as he embraced the taller human's legs. "Oh, Rin! You're alive! But—but how?"

"Hey, I'm not someone that'll die easily, you know," Keirin frowned, not quite understanding the imp's meaning. "And how is it you know my name?"

With a hurt expression Jaken looked up at the girl. "You don't remember me?"

Feeling sorry, she shook her head and said apologetically, "I've never seen you before." She crouched down so that she could be at a more even level with the toad demon. "Who are you and how do you know me? Have we met before?"

"You've forgotten me?" Jaken blubbered through his tears. "You've forgotten your friend Jaken?"

"I'm sorry, but I…" Keirin's voice fell silent as she sensed a large form bearing over her. Slowly she turned around and bit back her scream when she saw an ogre leering hungrily at her and her company.

"Mm…what tasty treats do we have here?" the monster garbled menacingly with its thick voice. "A human virgin, an imp, and a two-headed dragon—my, my, this is quite a meal. I wonder how much tastier you'll be when you're begging me to end your life," it rumbled while reaching out towards the young lady.

Grabbing Keirin's hand, Jaken screamed, "RUN!"

_I don't need to be told twice! _Keirin thought as she hastily followed. In an instant, Keirin and Jaken, with Ah-Un running alongside them, bolted as fast as they could through the thick forest away from the enormous demon, Jaken leading the way towards Edo. "Hurry, hurry!" the imp screeched while running as fast as his little legs could go while jumping over tree roots. "We have to reach the village!"

"Help!" Keirin screamed as she ran for her life. She quickly ducked from being clothes-lined by a low tree branch. "Please, someone help!"

"Hurry!" Jaken shouted at her. "We can make it to the village! It's not that far!"

"Come back here!" the ogre growled as he barreled after them, destroying whatever plant life that stood in his way.

_What the hell is that thing?_ Keirin wondered frantically as she ordered her legs to move faster. _It looks like an ogre in those old paintings at Kusa's house…Where the hell am I? Why are there ogres, imps, and dragons running around the place?_ "Why is this thing chasing us?" she demanded from her running mate.

"He's hungry, that's why!" Jaken groaned at his absurd bad luck. "Oh, if only Sesshoumaru-sama were here! Stupid ogre! I bet he's only here now because Sesshoumaru-sama is gone!"

Keirin felt something tug at her heart. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

BAM!

"There's no escaping me!" the ogre roared as he threw another log at them.

"GAH!" The girl and imp leaped to the side to avoid the large projectile, quickly picking themselves up immediately afterwards to continue their escape. When Keirin noticed the little toad demon falling behind and tripping over a twisted root, she stopped, turned, grabbed the back of his clothes, and picked him up in her arms.

"Let me go, you silly girl! Let me go!" Jaken ordered angrily. "What in hell's name do you think you're doing?"

"You're not fast enough!" Keirin panted in between breaths. Pushing herself harder, she began picking up a little more speed while still effectively dodging the twisted roots and branches that came her way. "Now tell me which way to run!"

"Over there, over there!" Jaken pointed for her. "Ah, look! Look! The village is right over there!"

They broke through the woods and into the bright sunlight. Keirin shielded her eyes as she ran forward from the darker forest. As she ran towards where her little friend directed, Keirin could see little children playing in the field she had just entered. Her heart stopped as she realized that now the young ones were in danger as well.

"Run away!" she yelled while waving her arms frantically at the children. "Hurry, go back to the village!"

The children screamed when they saw the demon crashing out of the woods after Keirin. Having been well-trained by their parents, the younglings picked themselves up and ran as fast as they could back to their homes.

"You go and get help!" Keirin ordered Jaken while throwing him onto Ah-Un's back. She commanded Ah-Un forward and ran in the opposite direction of the dragon.

"Where are you going, stupid girl?" Jaken screeched back.

"I'm going to distract the demon and buy you some time! Hurry!" Keirin promptly ignored Jaken's returning shouts and curses while she ran back towards the ogre that had now noticed easier prey: the children. As it turned to pursue the younglings, a shoe hit the back of his head. "Hey! You were going to eat me, remember?" Keirin shouted as she made faces. "Come and get me if you can, you dummy!" She took off her other shoe and threw it, hitting the demon in the eye. For good measure, the human girl flashed the ogre a rude hand gesture. Knowing that she was in for it now, Keirin bolted as quickly as she could in the opposite direction as the children.

Thoroughly insulted, the monster abandoned his new prey for his old one with great fury. As she dashed for dear life, Keirin could only think, _I hope you get some help fast, Jaken-san!_

Meanwhile, Jaken rode Ah-Un straight into Edo, yelling and screaming about the oncoming ogre. "Hurry, hurry! A demon is coming! You have to help!"

"Jaken, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha barked as he ran out of Kaede's hut. "What are you screaming about, you idiot?"

"Rin!" He panted. "That stupid, stupid girl! You have to save Rin!"

Kagome, Miroku, and Sango joined Inuyasha outside with confused expressions. "What?" the white haired half-demon demanded. "What are you talking about?"

"That dumb human girl ran BACK to the woods to save the other children." Jaken grabbed Ah-Un's reins and redirected it back towards where it had just flown from. Ah-Un would have been annoyed with Jaken if his concern for "Rin" weren't as great.

"To save the other children?" Miroku questioned. "From what?"

"A HUGE demon!"

Knowing not to take Jaken's panic lightly, Inuyasha turned to the monk and said, "Come on, let's go see what's going on."

"You have to hurry!" Jaken urged. "Or else he'll kill her!"

* * *

_Keep running…don't look back and keep running!_ Keirin coached herself as she ducked beneath a branch. She heard a tree crack and crash down behind her, telling her exactly how far behind her pursuer was. _Run faster, Keirin!_

She had already lost feeling in her feet, which at this point was the best thing in the world. With twigs, branches, thorns, and sharp pebbles slashing them as she ran, Keirin only hoped that she did not faint from blood loss before her feet became utterly useless. She even ignored the stings she felt from the cuts on her face and hands. Only one thing mattered: she needed to survive.

_I don't want to die! I can't die yet!_ Hearing another tree crash behind her, Keirin urged her body to move faster. Her lungs burned from her endless running, but she could not waste her energy stressing about that. _I'm only sixteen. I can't die before I've finished high school…I have things I need to do! I haven't accomplished my dream—I haven't been able to get my wish. I haven't found _him_ yet…_ Tears stained her cheeks as she continued to flee. Keirin could feel the bloodthirsty ogre closing the distance between them with each beat of her pounding heart. _Please, someone save me! Save me!_

The teen tripped over a root and scrambled to pick herself up. However, the ogre had gained its ground and towered over her. "Got you now!" it laughed as it raised its sharp claws high, ready for the final strike.

Raising her arms above her head, Keirin closed her eyes as she readied herself for what would come. _No, why is it going to end now? I haven't found him yet!_ Images of a faceless man flashed through her thoughts, his golden eyes the only feature Keirin could recall; his molten honey eyes that told her he would protect her. _I can't die! I need to see you! Please help me!_ As loud as she could, she screamed the only thing that would come to mind: "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"What the fu—ARGH!" The now one-armed ogre whirled around to face its attacker. Using its remaining hand to grab the patch where its arm had been connected to shoulder, the demon shouted into the darkened forest, "What the hell do you want—"

The white apparition bared his fangs as he waved one hand forward. "Your death."

With the motion, the ogre split in half, its blood and innards splattering all around and polluting the area with their toxicity.

Keirin covered her face at the smell, but found herself fainting soon after from the poisonous miasma. Lifting the unconscious human into his arms, Sesshoumaru fled the scene to the next clearing where the ogre's poison would not reach. The dog demon's eyes widened when he looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms. "Rin…"

So, his nose had not lied to him.

All over Inuyasha's forest, he had smelled her scent, the scent of her blood. Readily, Sesshoumaru had dismissed it at first as a sign of his crumbling strength, the weakness he had developed due to his regard for Rin. However, as the fragrance grew stronger with each passing moment, Sesshoumaru could not ignore it further. And when he had heard the one voice he had desperately wanted to hear for the last moon cycle, in an instant he had followed the sound to its source.

_It is not possible, _Sesshoumaru thought as he gazed down at the unconscious human in his arms. Rin was dead and remained buried beneath the thousand-year old tree in the forest. He had placed her there himself! _But here she is. Her scent, her voice, and her appearance, the same: everything is the same. How are you alive, Rin?_ His clawed hand traced the delicate face of the teenage girl. _How have you returned to me?_

"Eh, it looks like Sesshoumaru took care of it," a gruff voice echoed through the trees. As leaves crackled and twigs snapped beneath rough steps, Inuyasha pushed through the woods and appeared beside Sesshoumaru. "Hey, you, I thought you had already left! What the hell are you doing back here?" He scratched the back of his white ears. "And damn it, you left your scent all over everywhere. Gr, it's really starting to piss me off! Seriously, why haven't you left yet?"

Reflexively, Sesshoumaru protectively clutched the Rin look-alike closer to him. He growled at his younger brother in warning, "That is none of your concern."

Walking around to his brother's front, Inuyasha barked, "Bastard, you—"

"Rin! Rin, are you okay?" Jaken screeched as he raced up to the two brothers with Ah-Un. Miroku sat behind him with the reins in the monk's hands.

"Rin?" Inuyasha finally noticed the unconscious girl being held by his elder brother, and he stepped back warily. The face, the scent: they were exactly alike. Had his brother—"Sesshoumaru, what the hell are you doing? Why are you—"

"This Sesshoumaru does not know," he cut off. "This Sesshoumaru does not know why this girl resembles and smells like Rin." Standing up, he cradled the girl carefully in his arms. "However, she does not smell like the dead or grave soil, so she is in fact someone entirely different." Without another word, the great dog demon lord took off towards Edo, knowing that this girl needed to be tended to.

As he flew, Sesshoumaru looked down once more at the Rin-look-alike tucked safely in his arms. The scent was the same—even her appearance. _But have you returned to me, Rin? Or is this some cruel trick?_ Well, he would discover the truth soon enough when she awoke back at the human village.

* * *

_Don't leave me_. Keirin reached out to the tall figure in front of her. _Please, I've been looking for you for as long as I can remember. Please don't go!_

In the mists behind her, wolves howled and panted as they chased after her. Keirin could see their frightening eyes glowing through the fog, leering at her. The sound of their paws hitting the ground and their wet pants echoed all around her, telling Keirin how they had her surrounded. She turned back towards the figure ahead of her. She desperately stretched her hand towards him, the back that would never turn her way. _Wait for me! I'm almost by your side…Just wait for me for a little longer. I'm coming!_

The white-haired man stopped for a moment, his body turning towards her.

_Please, wait! I want to follow you…I'm almost by you!_

Deep honey gold eyes filled her vision.

_Wait for me!_

Her eyes fluttered opened.

"Ah, you're awake," a kind voice sighed with some relief.

Keirin lifted herself slowly from her lying position into a sitting one. "What happened?"

"I was hoping that you could tell us that."

Keirin looked up and gasped. In front of her stood a young priestess and a…_White-haired man, _she thought._ He looks like the man from earlier, when I…_"So it wasn't a dream," the young lady murmured mostly to herself. "That demon chasing after me, everything: it wasn't a dream." She looked down at her arm, through her torn sleeve and noticed a bandage around her forearm; her hands were wrapped and she felt some sort of paste on her face. Wincing, Keirin then realized her feet had been bandaged as well, the bottom edges of her yukata torn and ripped. Gingerly she touched the bloodstains over her fringing sunflowers.

"I'm sorry that your yukata was ruined." The young priestess sighed apologetically. "It really was pretty. Your feet aren't permanently damaged, but you'll have to keep off them for a while. I'm afraid you won't be able to move around for at least a few days. Hopefully your face and your hands won't scar."

"Ne, I'm just glad that I'm still alive." Keirin's eyes went wide as she realized something very important. "Ah, I almost forgot! Is that little toad all right? Jaken-san, right? Is Jaken-san all right? And what about the children? Are they safe?"

"Everyone is fine," the priestess assured warmly. "They're all okay because of you. Other than the dead ogre, you're the only one that was injured."

"Ah, that's a relief," Keirin sighed as she placed a hand on her chest. Relaxing, she slumped her shoulders and calmed herself. Then she took the time to observe her surroundings and noted that something seemed very different. "Where exactly am I? I'm not in Tokyo anymore, am I?"

Kagome laughed a little nervously at the girl's astuteness. "Well, that's not completely untrue. You're in Tokyo but before anyone called it Tokyo."

"Eh?" But before Kagome received a chance to explain what she had just said, Keirin clapped both her hands on her cheeks, appalled by her behavior. "How rude of me! I should have done this first." She abruptly got on her knees as best she could on her injured self and bowed to her hosts. "My name is Asagao Keirin. Thank you for saving me earlier and for treating my injuries. I am most grateful for your care."

"Keh, go thank him," Inuyasha said gruffly while jabbing his thumb behind him. "He killed the demon before any of us reached you."

"Oh, of course!" Struggling onto her feet, Keirin promptly ran out of the hut.

"Hey!" Inuyasha called back. He had been sarcastic before; he did not actually believe that the girl would get up to go thank his cold older brother. "I didn't actually mean for you to—shit, girl, hey wait!"

Keirin gingerly stepped outside and saw the white apparition she had seen moments before she had fainted. Waiting away at a distance, he stood regally with a proud tilt of his fair head. This man and the one with the priestess shared a lot when it came to their looks; but something about the one before her made Keirin's heart beat uncontrollably. When Keirin finally reached the white-haired man, she fought back her grimaces of pain and straightened her expression. "Um…thank you, for saving me earlier." She gave him a polite bow on her awkward feet.

"You called for me."

"Eh?" She looked up at the lord—_he has to be a lord with how he looks_—with curiosity. "I called for you?"

_Does she not remember?_ Sesshoumaru fought back a frown while reaching into his sleeves. He handed the girl her shoes. "You should not walk. Give your feet time to heal properly."

"Oh, I—"

Not waiting for her reply, Sesshoumaru deftly picked the girl up and carried her back inside the home, indifferently walking past Inuyasha and Kagome. Placing her gently back on her makeshift bed, Sesshoumaru looked down at Keirin and ordered sternly, "Be obedient and let yourself heal."

Blushing and feeling the heat radiating from her ears, Keirin nodded and mumbled, "Yes."

Sesshoumaru said nothing more before leaving the house.

Offended by his half-brother's rude behavior, Inuyasha yelled a few curses after him.

Ignoring her husband, Kagome turned her attention to her returned guest. "May I call you Keirin-chan?"

"Ah, please do," the younger girl nodded. "And how may I address you, Priestess-sama?"

Acting bashful, Kagome waved at the girl with one hand, laughing, "I'm only a few years older than you, so please think of me as an older sister." In the corner, Yuuma gurgled happily from his hanging bundle on the wall. "Oh, and that's my son Yuuma-kun."

A bead of sweat ran down the side of Keirin's face. _Not exactly as young as she thinks huh?_

"Anyway," Kagome chattered on, "Keirin-chan, how did you end up here?"

Looking down at her blanket, the sixteen-year old teenager carefully recalled, "I was at the Higurashi shrine with my friends for the festival."

"Eh?" Hearing her family name, Kagome's eyes lit up in interest. Even Inuyasha came close and sat beside his wife in curiosity. "Why are people visiting the shrine during the festival?"

"According to the story, Higurashi Kagome-san, the eldest daughter that had lived at the shrine, had her love-wish come true, so all the girls from my school go there to wish on the well," Keirin explained. "They say that if you make a wish on the well during the festival, you'll meet your true love like Higurashi-san did. You write your wish on a paper and throw it into the well. For every sheet it's a hundred yen."

"Eh? They're using me to make money?" Kagome exclaimed in surprise. She released a heavy sigh while resting her head in her hand. "I can totally see 'jii-chan and 'kaa-chan doing something like that. Well, I guess they need to make some money somehow if they want to send Souta to school properly."

Brown eyes grew wide in realization. "Ah, so you're Kusa—I mean—Souta-kun's older sister? Higurashi Kagome-san?"

"Yes, I am." The young mother stared at Keirin. "Kusa?"

Somewhat embarrassed, the teen explained, "Heh, it's his nickname that my friend Chisato and I use. He calls me Rin. If you like, you may call me Rin as well—or Kei, if you like. All of my friends call me one or the other." Keirin carefully observed Kagome and Inuyasha. "Ne, so I guess the stories are true. You did find your true love through the well." When Yuuma made more happy noises, the young lady laughed, "Your one true love, and now a family of three: heh, I guess the well really does grant wishes."

The couple blushed as they looked away from each other in embarrassment. Her cheeks a rosy pink, Kagome then questioned, "So what year are you, Kei—er—Rin-chan?"

"Ah, I'm in my first year of senior high. Kusa and I are in the same class."

"And did you go to the well to make a wish?"

For the first time, Keirin looked away shyly. "I-I did," she reluctantly admitted.

"Oh?"

"There's someone I want to meet," she answered. "There's someone that I've been searching for, and I wanted to wish on the well to help me find him."

_Oh, maybe it's someone she's in love with? Maybe he moved away a long time ago and she's been looking for him since. Or maybe they were madly in love, and he disappeared suddenly. And now Rin-chan can't love anyone else, even though she has tons of suitors. All she wants is that one guy._ Kagome's eyes sparkled with the possibilities. _Wow, what a romance!_ "And after making your wish, you found yourself here?"

"Actually, after I had made my wish I felt something pull my yukata." Pursing her lips, Keirin remembered, "There wasn't anyone else in the well shrine, but I know I felt something tug on my yukata. Before I could do anything, something pulled me down the well. When I looked up, the two-headed dragon was there and helped me out. Then I met Jaken-san, and after that the demon started chasing us. After that, I'm sure you know the story. That's how I found myself here."

"So something pulled on your yukata in the present?" Kagome frowned at the story. "What could it have been?" _The Shikon Jewel doesn't exist anymore,_ she thought. _So it can't connect the past and present through the well. I'm sure that Rin-chan never had any spiritual powers, so she couldn't have done anything on her own. So why…why did this girl fall through the Bone Eater's Well?_

"Um…Onee-san?" Keirin called tentatively.

Drawn from her thoughts, Kagome answered, "Yes?"

"Where exactly am I? You said that I'm in Tokyo but not Tokyo, but…"

"To put it simply," Kagome said while she tended to her son, "you're seven hundred years in the past. You're in the feudal era Edo right now."

"REALLY?"

"Yes."

Keirin blinked. "Huh, I guess that would explain the demons."

Inuyasha, who had been sitting and watching this conversation from not too far away, promptly fell over at Keirin's weak response. "What's with that lame reaction?" he snapped as soon as he recovered.

"Eh?"

"Aren't you a little more surprised?" the man demanded with a wave of his arms. "I know when she first showed up here, she wouldn't stop screaming for days every time she saw a demon," Inuyasha recalled loudly while pointing a finger at his wife. "From what I remember, demons aren't common from where you're from. So why are you so calm about all of this?"

"Ne, what's so different between demons and people? I mean humans have done some terrible things—some would argue that humans should be the ones called monsters," Keirin replied truthfully. "And besides, Kusa says that there are small demons and spirits all around us at home. We just have to respect them and mind their space and they'll be fair to us."

Turning her attention away from Yuuma, Kagome questioned, "Souta can see spirits?"

"Ah, he can," Keirin confirmed. "He said that his powers became stronger once you left to live with your husband."

"So you're not really surprised by this guy, are you?" Kagome asked nonchalantly while pulling on Inuyasha's ears.

"Kagome!" he griped.

"No, not at all." Hearing that answer, Kagome returned her attention to her son and her housework. Keirin waited for a few minutes before venturing to ask, "Um, Onee-san, who was that man earlier?"

"Eh?"

"The tall one with long white hair and two swords: who is he? I feel like I've met him before."

"Ah, you mean Sesshoumaru," Kagome nodded. "He's Inuyasha's older brother."

"Oh, really?" Oddly, that news cheered the girl up a bit. Her cheeks pinked as she gathered the courage to ask further, "Um…will I see him again?"

Inuyasha and Kagome traded glances. "He doesn't come by often near human villages, but in this case, you'll see him around," the half-demon assured. "I'm pretty sure that he'll come by sometime soon."

Before Keirin could ask any more questions, Jaken tumbled into the room with Ah-Un peeking his two heads through the window. "Rin! Sesshoumaru-sama said that you were awake!" Orienting himself, Jaken hobbled towards the sitting girl. "Are you all right, Rin?"

"Ah, I'm fine Jaken-san."

"Really?"

"Yes." She sent a smile Ah-Un's way. "Don't worry. I really am all right."

Jaken looked at Keirin's bandaged feet. "You stupid girl, trying to outrun an ogre without shoes—you know that humans are frailer than demons! Keh, and now you've hurt yourself like this! Really, you're such an idiot! Who in the world would be worried over such a dumb girl like you?"

Inuyasha, Kagome, and Ah-Un gave Jaken blank stares. _You're the one who sobbed uncontrollably over her while she was unconscious._

With a sorrier tone, the little green toad demon asked quietly, "Are you able to walk?"

Taking all of Jaken's criticisms with stride, Keirin answered cheerily, "I'm sorry for having you so worried, Jaken-san. I'll be able to walk again once my feet get better. Onee-san said that I should keep off them for a while." She blushed at her actions earlier. "But it might be a little hard for me, since I like moving around so much."

Ah-Un made a noise which Jaken nodded to in agreement. "Hmph, well it serves you right for being such an idiot! But if you want to go anywhere, stupid Rin, then you just call on Ah-Un. After all, Sesshoumaru-sama summoned him for you to use, although I don't know why Sesshoumaru-sama would waste so much time for such a dumb girl."

Not bothered at all by Jaken's pitiful attempts to hide his glee and embarrassment, the teenage girl thanked him kindly. "Thank you very much, Jaken-san, Ah-Un. And please tell Sesshoumaru-sama that I am most grateful for his concern."

"Feh, of course I will!" While Jaken and Keirin continued their chatter, Inuyasha and Kagome watched them silently. The pair said nothing while they both wondered what Keirin's arrival would mean for everyone's future.


	4. Fourth

**Disclaimer**: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.

**Author's note (08.07.2009):** Sorry about the later update. I had actually planned on uploading the entire story sooner; however, proofreading and editing seem to be taking a little longer than expected. Additionally, character development is not going the way that I had originally envisioned it, so this story's completion will actually take longer than anticipated. Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying the story. I also hope that all of the characters retain their original, portrayed personalities from the manga. If there is someone out-of-character, please inform me in a review! Thank you.

* * *

**Promise  
Fourth**

* * *

"Sorry to intrude," Miroku called out as he stepped into Kagome and Inuyasha's house. "We've come by for a visit." The priest noticed Keirin sitting in a corner and eating her lunch. "Ah, so you've awoken. How are you feeling?"

Not bothered by the stranger, the girl cheerfully answered, "Fine, thank you."

_She's too much like _her_ for it to be coincidence_, Miroku reflected. _So what does this all mean? Is she a reincarnation like Kagome-dono? Or could it be something sinister at work? Whatever it is, we must keep our guard up, even if it is…Rin-chan._ It broke Miroku's heart to think such thoughts about Rin, but he had no choice. His experience with Naraku and various other demons and evil spirits had taught him that the darkness would attack at the most vulnerable places. And this sweet, smiling teenage girl was a soft spot amongst everyone, even the most hard-hearted, such as Sesshoumaru. _She'll be the death of us all if she's some sort of trick._

"Ah, Rin-chan, this is Miroku-sama," Kagome introduced while looking up from her work over the cooking fire. Dark-haired baby Yuuma bubbled at Miroku from his place on his mother's back. "He's a priest and a very good friend of ours. He helped bring you back from the forest yesterday with Inuyasha."

Politely and with a kind smile, Keirin bowed her head and greeted, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miroku-sama. I'm Asagao Keirin, but you may call me Rin like Onee-san and Onii-san do."

"Ah, then please, Rin-chan," Miroku nodded while giving the girl a slight nod. _Even their names are the same—We'll have to keep our eyes on her._

"Oh, you're awake," Sango smiled as she followed in after her husband. "It's a relief to see you looking healthy. It's a good sign."

"And this is Sango-chan, his wife," Kagome giggled while taking Keirin's dirty dish from the girl. "Ne, where are the children, Sango-chan?"

"Oh, they met up with some friends on our way here, so they'll come in shortly." Turning her attention to the new guest, Sango smiled pleasantly at Keirin.

Bowing her head just as she had done for Miroku, Keirin greeted, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sango-sama."

"You can just call on me informally," the former demon slayer allowed while taking a seat beside the girl. She felt somewhat nostalgic, remembering Rin from the day she died: Sango had just convinced Rin to call her "Sango-san" then. Shaking those sad memories from her thoughts, Sango added, "I'm not that much older than Kagome-chan, and I would like us to be friends."

"Ah, then please call me Rin like everyone else. I would like to be friends with Sango-san as well."

The mat doors then rustled, drawing everyone's attention towards them. Three children stopped at the doorway and with large round eyes stared at Keirin: two five-year old twin girls and a two-year old boy. In unison their brown eyes began welling up with tears as they launched themselves at the girl. "Onee-chan!"

"Neenee." Hiroki began crying as he held onto Keirin. "Neenee back! Neenee back!"

The twins did the same, leaving a puzzled Keirin. "Onee-chan…Onee-chan, it's you…You came back to us, Onee-chan!"

Frazzled and confused, the young lady turned to the three present adults for some sort of explanation. Miroku and Sango tried controlling their children as they sent Keirin a look of sympathy and regret. "A girl, about your age, died recently. She was very special to them," Sango explained apologetically. "You resemble her."

"Oh." And immediately Keirin felt for these children. She understood the feeling of sudden loss when someone close died. Keirin herself had lost one of her older brothers to a motor accident, and she had been about these children's age then. So she knew the stabbing feeling they felt, the emptiness inside their hearts that once had been filled by that special someone.

Without hesitation, Keirin hugged all three children. "It's okay. I'm here, so there's no need to cry." Allowing their tears to soak through her already dirty yukata, she did her best to console them. "Ssh, it's okay. Look, I'm right here, right? I won't go anywhere anytime soon." And that was true: with her feet injured and her not knowing how to return home, Keirin would not be going anywhere in the mean time. Knowing so, she continued to comfort them, patting them each on their backs and assuring them she would not disappear. When the three children finally quieted, Keirin called Ah-Un near. With some trouble, she mounted him with the children. "Miroku-sama, Sango-san, is it all right if we play outside together?"

"Yes, please," Sango said before Miroku could get anything out. "We'll come and get your when we're done with our business."

As Ah-Un flew away towards the direction of the flower field, Miroku turned to his wife and asked, "Do you think that was wise?"

"What are you talking about?"

"This girl, we don't really know anything about her," Miroku reasoned. "Don't you find it odd that of all times, someone who is exactly like Rin-chan has appeared before us? It's been a little more than a moon cycle since Rin-chan has left this world for the next, and a girl that bears all resemblance to her shows up soon after. And now she's alone with our children."

"She's harmless," Sango assured.

"Her timing is too perfect."

"Miroku-sama, there's nothing to fear," Kagome promised as she sat down beside her two friends. "Rin-chan, she won't hurt anyone."

"That girl is completely human through and through," Inuyasha said while entering his home. With his demonic hearing, he had heard the conversation from a distance. The half-demon had just finished his rounds around the village and the forest, checking to be sure that nothing dangerous lurked nearby. "She's like Kagome: a girl from the future that came through the well."

"Eh? How do you know this?"

"Her scent," Inuyasha explained simply as he took Yuuma from Kagome and cradled the baby in the crook of his folded legs. "She's of the living and smells similar to how Kagome smelled when I took her back from her time."

"And I don't sense anything malevolent from her," Kagome quickly added. "At least for now, we don't have to worry about her being someone dangerous. We do have other things to worry over though."

"Such as?"

"It's been two days since she's been here. People, especially her friends and loved ones are going to wonder where she's disappeared to. Her family must be worried sick right now." Shaking her head, the young priestess sighed. "We have to find a way to send her back as soon as possible. But we don't know exactly how she got here in the first place."

Sango placed a finger on her chin as she thought out loud, "I wonder how she traveled between her time and our time."

"Keh, what's there to wonder about?" Inuyasha snorted. "It's just like Kagome: through the well."

Kagome shook her head. "Inuyasha, you know better than that. The Shikon Jewel allowed me to travel through time. Maybe with a little help from my spiritual powers, but mostly it was the jewel's doing. Rin-chan doesn't have any of that, so it should have been impossible for her."

"Who exactly is this girl?" Miroku posed the question again. "We've been dancing around the point thus far; so is she really Rin-chan's reincarnation or is she someone that just greatly resembles the girl we once knew?"

"There's no doubt that she's Rin-chan's reincarnation," Kagome assured. "After watching her and talking with her, I know that she's the Rin-chan that we knew. I mean her reasons for falling through the well should be proof more than anything."

"What are her reasons?"

Recalling the younger girl's story, Kagome recounted, "During a festival at my family's shrine, Rin-chan was by the well making a wish. She wished to find someone that she's been searching for. After she made her wish, something grabbed her yukata and pulled her down into the well. She doesn't know what pulled on her because she never saw it." She looked to each of her friends. "Don't you see? Destiny called her here, and it's because she's Rin-chan's reincarnation."

Silence filled the room as everyone pondered over Kagome's words. Delicately, Miroku inquired, "Has anyone told her yet who she was?"

"No." Inuyasha turned his attention towards the window, the direction where Keirin and the children played. "I don't think even Sesshoumaru has done that yet."

"You think Sesshoumaru-sama should be the one to tell her?"

Inuyasha snorted at what he believed to be a ridiculous question. "Shouldn't he be the one if she has to know? Rin loved him more than anyone else." _Really, I don't know anyone else who could love that heartless bastard more,_ the half-demon thought. _Not even his own mother could care more about him than Rin._ "If she heard it from him, she would understand."

"I don't know if he should be the one to tell her," Miroku remarked.

"But someone should tell her," Kagome stressed. "She needs to know that she's Rin-chan's reincarnation."

"Keh, what's the big deal? Honestly, it's probably better that we don't tell her anything. It's not like she's any different from what she was." Inuyasha looked down at his sleeping black-haired son. "Even though she doesn't remember her past life, she's pretty much the same as she was during her previous life. There's nothing really to tell her."

Kagome gave her husband a wry look, knowing very well what he wanted to really say. Keirin wasn't like Kagome, a reincarnation that severely differed from her previous incarnation. Keirin was identical to her former self unlike Kagome who was completely different from Kikyou; the only things that Kagome and Kikyou had in common, according to Inuyasha, was their sex, their soul, their appearance, and their scent. They shared nothing else. _It's not like I did that on purpose though,_ Kagome could not help but to pout somewhat. _I don't have control over that. But…in the end, he chose me. So I don't have much to complain about._

With those thoughts in mind, Kagome asserted, "But she should know. She should know that when people here see her they think of the girl in the past. It's not fair to her. She needs to know."

Inuyasha stared at his wife with an incredulous look. Surely she, of all people, would understand where he went with this. Perhaps he would have to remind her. "When you knew that people compared you to Kikyou, did it make you feel better?" Granted, it was usually _him_ that had compared the two women…Guilt pricked at Inuyasha's conscience.

"No."

"So there," the half-demon sniffed in finality. "We're not treating her like Rin simply because she's the girl's reincarnation—we're reacting to her as who she is." He gently touched his son's head and petted him lovingly. "Even though they're similar, they're different. And if she knew, she might get hurt and deal with an unnecessary burden. I'm telling you, it's better if she doesn't know for now."

_He really cares about her._ Of course, Inuyasha would never admit it out loud, but Kagome knew the truth about her husband: he had been very fond of Rin. Even though the little girl had "reeked of Sesshoumaru's stench" the first year she had stayed in Edo, Rin had become a very good friend to Inuyasha as time passed. He had confessed to his wife that Rin had reminded him of Kagome—the little girl had loved him unconditionally, not caring that he was half-demon. She had little fear for his demonic half, probably from living with Sesshoumaru; and she had loved Inuyasha almost as much as Sesshoumaru: _almost_. When Rin had died, Inuyasha had hidden his true feelings very well. He had to be strong for Kagome and his son. He could not afford to be weak while his loved ones needed him most.

But Kagome had known. She knew that Inuyasha had suffered because he could not have saved Rin…and now, he did not want to hurt this girl, Rin's reincarnation.

Kagome smiled at the little secret. "Who would have thought that you were so attentive, Inuyasha?"

* * *

Resting against Ah-Un's side, Keirin happily watched the twin girls and Hiroki run around excitedly after butterflies. As she did that, she weaved two flower collars for Ah-Un's separate heads. Unfortunately, the dragon had greater interest in eating his gifts than wearing them. "Hey, stop that," Keirin scolded while pushing Ah's head from her hands. "I need those! Stop eating these—go eat the ones in front of you." The young lady turned a sharp eye towards Un. "And don't you think about it, either!"

When both heads decided that the grass would be a safer option for consumption, Keirin returned to her work. She looked up again to check on the suddenly silent children, only to seem them frozen in place. Following their frightened gazes, the young lady noticed a figure emerging from the forest.

The three children trembled as they saw Sesshoumaru approaching, remembering how terribly frightening he had been a month ago. Sensing their fear, Keirin told them to stay put as she struggled to stand up on her feet to meet the demon lord. Before she could stand, Sesshoumaru appeared beside her with a commanding look on his face, one that ordered her to sit back down.

_"You should not walk. Give your feet time to heal properly…Be obedient and let yourself heal."_

Remembering his command from the day before, Keirin settled herself once more in the crook of Ah-Un's body and bowed as politely as she could while seated. "I'm happy to see you again, Sesshoumaru-sama. I was afraid we would never meet again."

A very subtle look of surprise registered in the pair of golden eyes. "You recall my name?"

"Ah, Onee-san told me." Shyly Keirin looked down at her hands and admitted, "I know I should have asked you, Sesshoumaru-sama, but I thought it would be best if I learned it as soon as I could. I hope that you're not angry."

Sesshoumaru wondered at the sinking feeling he felt in his heart when the girl told him that she had not remembered his name herself. Was this disappointment? Disappointment over what? Why did he feel disappointment that this human girl did not recall his name?

"Did Jaken-san not come with you?" Keirin asked as she checked the sides of Sesshoumaru's legs. One usually found the little toad hovering about his master's feet or at least heard him squawking about one thing or another.

"He has other business to attend to." Sesshoumaru's deep voice hinted at a growl as he asked, "Do you wish to see him?"

"Ah, I just wondered where he was—Jaken-san told me about how long he has served you and stayed by your side, so I thought naturally he would follow you everywhere. But I see that it isn't the case." Keirin smiled pleasantly, taking no notice of the earlier growl. "But I did want to see you, Sesshoumaru-sama. Last time I couldn't express my gratefulness to you properly. You saved my life and you left Ah-Un with me. And he's been a great help, especially since I can't walk on my own."

Unfolding her wrapped feet in front of her, the human wiggled her toes as if to prove something. "I've listened to what you said, Sesshoumaru-sama, and I'm letting my feet heal. They've already gotten much better. Very soon I'll be able to return Ah-Un to you." As Keirin said this, she fondly petted the beast behind her. "Oh, and thank you again for finding my shoes, Sesshoumaru-sama. I don't think I would have found them on my own after I threw them like that."

_Incessant chatter: that much has not changed_, Sesshoumaru decided. Pulling a long box from underneath his arm, he held it out to the young teenage girl. "This is for you."

"Me?" Keirin accepted the gift and opened the box just a bit. "A new kimono?"

The demon lord understood all of the questions she asked with that one phrase. But he would only answer one—for now. "To replace the one you ruined," Sesshoumaru said while turning away to leave.

Keirin grabbed the edge of his sleeve. "Are you leaving already?"

He turned and looked down at her.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama." She quickly dropped his sleeve and gazed downwards in submission. "I did not mean for that. It's not my place to question anything that you do. Please forgive me."

_Her manner is ever the same._ "This Sesshoumaru will return in three days. There will be more time for a longer visit then."

"And I will patiently await your return!" Keirin smiled.

With a small nod, Sesshoumaru took flight and disappeared into the sky. Once he left, the three children rushed to Keirin with relief all over their faces. "Are you okay, Onee-chan?" they demanded together.

"What did he give you, Onee-chan?" Haruna asked.

"Something for me to change into when we return home," Keirin replied with the largest grin. "Now, run a little more. I'll be done with these flowers in a little bit, and your parents should be coming soon." Listening to their "big sister," the three children freely ran amok in the field, already having forgotten Sesshoumaru's threatening aura.

Keirin, on the other hand, tried to keep the feeling alive in her heart.

She did not want to forget how her heart stopped whenever Sesshoumaru looked at her.

* * *

"Anee-ue!" Kohaku called out as Kirara landed on the ground. "Anee-ue, is everyone all right? I returned as soon as I heard the news that you were attacked. There were stories going around that the village burned downed."

"Ne, everything is all right now, Kohaku," Sango assured her little brother as she embraced him in greeting. "There was a fire, but it didn't destroy too much. And since the incident, we've been able to rebuild and fix most of the damage. A number of people were hurt and a few died, but the children and I are fine. The others are all right as well."

Seeing his elder sister in fit condition, the young man relaxed in her arms. "That's good." Pulling back from her, Kohaku looked around. "Speaking of the others, where is everyone?"

"Ah, a village over the mountain called for Miroku and Inuyasha's help, so they left yesterday," Sango informed while she invited her brother inside her home. "It's a little difficult for Kagome-chan to take care of everything alone while keeping an eye on Yuuma so she'll be coming over soon. She'll be staying with me until Inuyasha returns." Giving Kohaku a quick up-down, Sango noticed how much taller her younger sibling had grown; he also traded his boyish figure for something more manly and mature, his body squaring out and filling out. He was now a handsome young man, a more-than capable demon slayer that would have made their parents and fellow clan members proud.

Taking a seat beside the cooking fire, Kohaku asked, "Where is Shippou-kun?"

"When he had the chance, he left to do some more training." Sango continued her earlier job of arranging things so that there would be ample room for Kagome and Yuuma's stay. "He said that he would be back when he passes the next level of the exam."

"Anee-ue, I heard that Sesshoumaru-sama stayed here in this village for a long time," Kohaku started with a serious expression. "Sesshoumaru-sama detests human villages. So why was he here? What happened?"

_Ah, of course Kohaku would have heard. But for him to ask, it means he doesn't know about Rin-chan._ "Well, you see—"

"Oji-san! Oji-san is here!" Haruna and Hina squealed as the twins leapt onto Kohaku's back.

"Ochi," Hiroki shouted excitedly as he ran as fast as his little legs could take him. He almost tripped, but his uncle deftly scooped the little toddler up before he could hit the ground. "Ochi is here," Hiroki laughed while hugging his uncle. Grinning fondly at his only nephew, Kohaku snuggled the little boy in return.

"Ah, you have a guest, Sango-san. I guess we should have taken a little longer." Keirin smiled from the window. She still sat on top of Ah-Un, having decided to stay mounted when she heard the children exclaiming over their uncle.

"Onee-chan, it's Oji-san!" the twins said from their new places attached to Kohaku's legs. "Oji-san came to visit us!"

Kohaku looked away from his nieces and nephew and almost let his mouth drop to the ground. However, he quickly regained control over himself and said and did nothing. _She looks like Rin, but…something is different about her._

"Ah, you must be Kohaku-san. Sango-san and Haruna-chan and Hina-chan talk about you a lot. Thanks to them, I feel like I've known you for a long time already." Keirin bowed with a friendly laugh. "I'm Asagao Keirin. It's good to finally meet you."

"Ah, likewise," Kohaku nodded towards her politely. _Her name is different…and she has a family name. Who is this girl? _

Sensing that the new young man and Sango had much to talk about, Keirin clapped her hands together and prompted to the children, "Hey, everyone, why don't we go visit Kagome 'nee-san? I'm sure she could use some help when she comes over to your house. We should go see if we can do anything for her." Collecting the three little ones, Keirin again expressed her joy to finally meeting the favorite uncle and led the children towards Kagome's home.

When the group had finally left, Kohaku turned towards his sister and asked, "What happened to Rin?"

Biting her lower lip, Sango looked for something to occupy her time. When she found nothing, with reluctance and a heavy sigh, she confessed to her younger brother, "Rin-chan and the children were playing in the fields when the bandits attacked the village. We didn't know where they were until it was too late. A bandit had killed her."

Kohaku felt his heart sink at the tale. With fear and trepidation he asked his next question, "And Sesshoumaru-sama?" _If bandits were attacking Edo, then he wouldn't have been too far away,_ the young demon slayer thought. _He wouldn't be so far away if Rin was in danger._

"In his anger, he killed the remaining bandits for us and drove all the danger away from the village. Then he took Rin-chan's body and buried in beneath the thousand-year old tree in Inuyasha's forest. He stayed there for a moon cycle before coming back out. No one, human or demon, could get through the forest without fear of dying by Sesshoumaru-sama's hand while he stayed in the forest."

"So who is that girl?"

"We think she's Rin-chan's reincarnation by her behavior and personality—not to mention her appearance," Sango answered. "She came through the well the day Sesshoumaru-sama left the forest."

Carefully reading his sister's expressions, Kohaku then inquired, "How has Sesshoumaru-sama reacted to her?"

"Well…it's hard to describe." Sango sat for a moment, thinking cautiously about how she should describe Sesshoumaru's behavior towards the girl from the future. "He saved her life when she first arrived. An ogre had been near, and Sesshoumaru-sama killed it before it could eat Rin-chan. Since then he's been visiting her regularly for the moon cycle that she's been here. Every three days or so he comes to see her."

"I see." _This is bad,_ Kohaku thought. _I better leave here before anything happens. It'd be nice to become friends with this Keirin, but Sesshoumaru-sama will be wary of anyone getting to close to her. If anything, Sesshoumaru-sama is the most protective and the most dangerous at this point. _Remembering the time when he had traveled with Sesshoumaru in the past, Kohaku knew from experience that the demon lord was wary of strangers, especially human males that showed any interest for or received intrest from Rin. Back then, Sesshoumaru had allowed Kohaku near Rin only after long, careful observation and clarifying that the nobleman could snap Kohaku's neck with little effort at any given moment. How much more extreme would Sesshoumaru be with what had recently happened?

Kohaku felt safer leaving now and returning later once matters had settled and stabilized; he could be friends afterwards. Until then, he would trouble Sesshoumaru as little as possible. "Since I know that you're all fine, I'm afraid that I have to get going now, Anee-ue. I need lots of training, and there are many villages that need a demon slayer."

The young man summoned Kirara and swung himself easily onto her back. "Perhaps I'll see Anii-ue over the mountain with Inuyasha-dono. But if we don't meet, please tell them I'm sorry that I couldn't stay long enough to see them."

With an appreciative smile, Sango nodded, "I will."

"Ah, and please tell Kagome-sama congratulations. Maybe next time I'll get to meet her child." Kohaku left a few more messages with his sister, knowing that his nieces and nephew would be disappointed if he did not bid them farewell somehow.

Knowing that her brother sensed danger by staying, Sango hugged him and wished him safe traveling. She fought back her urges to plead with him to stay a bit longer—even she sensed the folly in asking that. "Please come by more often, Kohaku," she simply compromised. "I worry about you so. Miroku does too. We would all like to see you more, especially the children."

"I will come by more, Anee-ue," the younger brother grinned while kissing her on the cheek. "Good bye, now." With that, he and Kirara took off into the air and over the mountain, towards their next commission. Sango watched them until they faded away against the bright blue, all the while wondering about the situation in Edo.

_If Kohaku is afraid to stay because of Sesshoumaru-sama and Rin-chan, I wonder exactly how safe it is for any of us._

* * *

Keirin awoke with a large smile on her face. Today, Sesshoumaru would be coming.

"Ne, you're up early today, Rin-chan," Kagome greeted as she walked into the house. She put down the basket of herbs and vegetables she had collected for breakfast and went to check Yuuma sleeping peacefully. In the shadows of dawn, the sky just beginning to hint at sun, the baby's hair remained white as snow: like his father. However, as soon as the smallest glint of gold peeked over the horizon, the fair hair disappeared into jet black. "Heh," his mother giggled. "It's daylight now, isn't it, Yuuma-chan?"

"Do you need me to do anything, Onee-san?" Keirin asked as she sat up and straightened herself somewhat. She fixed her sleeping yukata and straightened out her bed hair.

"No, not really," Kagome grinned. "You should just get ready. Isn't Sesshoumaru due to visit today?"

Keirin blushed. Was she so apparent?

"Well, you better hurry," Inuyasha muttered while walking in. He shook off the morning's dew from himself before he passed the threshold. "He's already near. I can smell him just beyond the forest." He sniffed the air again with an irritated frown. "Never mind, he's here."

Heeding Inuyasha's orders, Keirin quickly went to the water basin, washed her face and scrubbed her teeth. She brushed her hair with an ivory comb and put it up with some simple jade hairpins; she then put on a black yukata with pink flower prints and embroidered blue and gold butterflies. All of these things had been given to her by Kaede-sama, the old priestess saying these things were unfit for an elderly woman such as herself. They better suited a young lady such as Keirin—that and she needed them more than the old priestess did. At one point or another, Keirin wondered where Kaede had gotten so many fine things that fit the young lady perfectly, as if they had been made for her; but she never found the time or courage to ask. So she left well enough alone.

"Do I look presentable?"

Kagome and Inuyasha admired Keirin's appearance. "Keh, I don't see why you're trying so hard for the bastard," the half-demon blushed while glaring towards the side. "It's not like he deserves it or really takes any notice."

"Thank you, Onii-san," Keirin smiled at the compliment. After spending so many days in the feudal era, she had learned how to understand and translate Inuyasha's kindness beneath his gruff exterior and harsh words. Of course, Kagome had helped a bit with that knowledge.

"Please call for me if you need me," she said while running out the doorway. After staying for over a month, her feet had made a complete recovery with only a few minor scars. Keirin could now frolic and prance wherever and whenever she so pleased. "I have to earn my keep, so please don't hesitate to call!"

"Feh, as if that possessive bastard would let anyone interrupt their alone time," Inuyasha muttered while he cradled his son in his arms.

His memories went back to the conversation he had earlier with his elder brother.

_"She doesn't know that she's the reincarnation of Rin. And I don't think you should tell her."_

_"Who are you to order this Sesshoumaru?"_

_"I'm not ordering you, bastard! I'm just saying, from experience, it would be best not to tell Keirin that you think she's Rin's reincarnation and that's the only reason you're with her. Human girls tend to be a little sensitive about these things."_

_"I will tell her what I want when I want."_

_"Bastard, if you hurt her, then I'll—I don't know what I'll do to you, but you can be sure that it'll hurt!"_

_"This Sesshoumaru has no intention of hurting Rin."_

_"But she isn't Rin, that's the thing."_

Meanwhile beneath the shadow of the branches in Inuyasha's forest, Sesshoumaru waited. Seated at the base of the tree, the majestic demon lord patiently waited for the human girl. With his eyes closed, he listened to the awakening woods and took in everything with his demonic senses. When he sensed the girl's approach, Sesshoumaru stood up and walked towards her presence. He met her at the edge of Inuyasha's forest, their usual meeting place now whenever he came to visit. Quietly the two walked together through the woods.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, did you know that Yuuma-kun was born on a full moon?" Keirin immediately started the conversation. "Well, actually, he was born at dusk, just as the moon was rising, according to Sango-san. Onee-san told me that when he was born, he had a head full of white hair and yellow eyes with one streak of violet on each cheek. But as soon as the sun rose, his hair melted into black and the streaks disappeared as did the little demonic aura he had. Only his eyes stayed the same, the same eyes that Onii-san and Sesshoumaru-sama have. Onii-san said that during the day when the sun is up, Yuuma-kun is completely human and when the moon is up he's part demon."

_So that's his curse,_ the dog demon thought. _As a being with only a fourth of Chichi-ue's blood, he remains vulnerable during the day and only attains the portion of power bestowed to him at night. I wonder if he also has his idiot for a father's condition during the new moon._

"I wonder how it is, to be part demon—to have all of those powers. Onee-san said it could be frightening since demons don't think or feel the same way as humans." Keirin giggled. "Yuuma-kun is such a good and quiet baby that it's funny to think that one day he might become a noisy little troublemaker. Maybe he'll take more after Onee-san."

They walked a little further, Keirin talking about the little infant all the way. She described to Sesshoumaru how Yuuma liked everything at a specific temperature, how he reacted to different people, and how he watched everyone with sharp awareness that she did not expect for a two-month old infant. She talked on and on about the baby until she noticed something.

"You're very quiet today, Sesshoumaru-sama. Is there something bothering you?"

The demon lord found the girl's question alarming at its astuteness. Few people in the World of the Living knew him well enough to read his rather subtle moods; and Rin had been the best of them. But now this girl, barely knowing him for more than a moon cycle, could already sense his minute emotions, if one could even call these bare feelings emotions. "You talk fondly of Inuyasha's son."

Having heard about the history between the two feuding half brothers from Kagome and Sango, Keirin inquired carefully, "Does that displease you?"

She knew that for the longest time the two brothers had hated one another. Sesshoumaru had despised Inuyasha for his human half, and Inuyasha had hated Sesshoumaru for his arrogance and power as a full demon lord. _"Sesshoumaru was also bitter because their father left Inuyasha with Tessaiga, a sword that could destroy a hundred enemies in one swing, while he received Tenseiga, a sword that could save a hundred allies with one swing,"_ Kagome had explained. _"To a demon lord bent on conquest, Tensaiga was useless to Sesshoumaru. So often enough he would come and attack Inuyasha and try to steal Tessaiga."_

_"But then after some time, he stopped coming after Tessaiga. He began changing,"_ Sango had cut in. _"He started learning to have compassion for people, especially humans, and eventually threw away his desire for Tessaiga altogether. Now, he doesn't fight with Inuyasha unnecessarily and he approaches humans without too much malice."_

_"But that doesn't mean that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru won't goad each other when they're annoyed,"_ Kagome had laughed.

So perhaps speaking about Sesshoumaru's least favorite person (or his son for that matter) did not sit well with the lord. _Did I make Sesshoumaru-sama angry?_

"This Sesshoumaru only wonders why when he is not your child." The noble demon kept his gaze forward and did not bother a glance towards the girl. "You have no relation to the child but you regard it almost like your own—even though it is part demon."

And Sesshoumaru wondered at this. Rin in the past, he knew, did not like interacting with humans because of her unfortunate history and pitiful upbringing. She preferred demonic company only because demons had been far more compassionate towards her than her own kind; her opinion on humans only slightly altered because of his half-brother's rabble. But this Rin, this Keirin from the future, grew up well surrounded only by humans without previous exposure to demons; she had said so herself during one of Sesshoumaru's earlier visits. So then why, when she had little experience with demons, did she not fear them or revile them? Did not typical human behavior dictate to her that she should distance herself from these fearsome creatures?

_Why is she so fond of demons, even now? She doesn't even hold any memories from her past life…Inuyasha said that this girl is not Rin. However, if it were not her, then why does she not cringe away? Why is she exactly the same in attitude?_

"But he is Sesshoumaru-sama's nephew, isn't he? Being Onii-san's son, Yuuma-kun is related to you. And simply because he is related to Sesshoumaru-sama is enough reason to like him." Keirin's cheeks pinked at the small confession she had just made. To gloss it over, the young lady hastily added, "That and he is such a good baby."

Sesshoumaru pretended not to notice Keirin's display of feelings. "You like children."

"Very much so," Keirin nodded, relieved for the tangent topic. "I hope that one day I may have children of my own. It seems to bring a lot of happiness, being a mother."

"I see."

The teenage girl looked to the great dog demon right then. "Sesshoumaru-sama, will life be difficult for Yuuma-kun?"

At the silence, Sesshoumaru realized that the girl actually expected an answer from him. "As difficult as any half-demon," he answered levelly. He questioned about the direction of the conversation.

"Will he suffer from the same conditions as Onii-san?"

Sesshoumaru regarded her with his trademark expressionless gaze.

"While I was helping Onee-san the other day, she told me that half-demons live difficult lives. They're hated by humans because of their demon blood and they're hated by demons because of their human heritage. It's why Onii-san doesn't trust others so easily," Keirin murmured as an explanation to her questions. Sesshoumaru could hear the tears she tried holding back in front of him, the pity she felt for his half-brother and his offspring. "Onee-san also said that Onii-san, being a half-demon, needed his father's sword to tame the dog demon blood in him. If he didn't have Tessaiga, then he would hurt himself and those around him. Wouldn't it be the same for Yuuma-kun?"

"The little pup's blood is more diluted than his father's." And that most likely meant that his powers would never exceed that of Inuyasha's, if even meet. _However, if the demon blood were to awaken, and if Rin were nearby…_ "He could be a greater danger to himself because of his predominant, weaker human parts."

"Do you think Onii-san would make a sword like Tessaiga for Yuuma-kun?"

Sesshoumaru thought of this. Perhaps Inuyasha's fang would suffice to make a powerful enough weapon to contain his son's blood; after all, his fang merged with their father's helped Tessaiga keep Inuyasha in check. _But_, Sesshoumaru reminded himself, _that's because Chichi-ue's fang is the dominant part of the weapon. The grade of a full, great demon lord's fang greatly differed from the grade of a half-demon's._

"I hope that Yuuma-kun will be all right when he's older. It would break my heart if he were to lose control and destroy himself, especially right now when he's so small. I could never imagine him becoming a killer."

Sesshoumaru gave his walking companion an even stare. "You must kill or be killed in this world."

"Ah, well, I guess so," Keirin admitted with a small smile. "But you only kill to survive, right? I wouldn't want Yuuma-kun to be someone that kills in cold blood. Killing unnecessarily is evil." With admiration glowing from her chocolate eyes, she said with confidence, "I can't imagine Sesshoumaru-sama doing something like that. A dishonorable action like that seems beneath you."

_Such high regard and presumption for such a small creature,_ he thought as he stopped at the edge of the trees. During the course of their walk, Sesshoumaru had led them back towards the village, a pressing matter now urging him to leave. Of course, he had not wanted to leave with Keirin alone in the woods.

Regarding this girl thoughtfully, he told her, "This Sesshoumaru must go."

"Ah, I guess so. I've kept you long enough, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The girl's downcast expression oddly forced him to add, "I will return again in six days."

"Yes, of course." Keirin smiled while she waved farewell and walked back towards Edo. "I'll be here waiting for your return, Sesshoumaru-sama."

_Forever and ever._


	5. Fifth

**Disclaimer**: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.

**Author's note (18.07.2009):** Thank you for the positive responses to this story. Please continue to mention inconsistencies or out-of-character moments in reviews. They are most helpful and constructive. I apologize that this chapter is shorter than the others...I guess I'll just have to release the next chapter sooner. I hope everyone enjoys this latest installment and gives plenty of feedback. Happy reading.

* * *

**Promise  
Fifth**

* * *

A white figure flew across the barren volcanic landscape while a little green and brown lump remained attached to the fluttering mokomoko. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken called out to his master against the wind. "Sesshoumaru-sama, what are we doing here? I thought we were returning to Rin!"

The dog demon said nothing has he continued onward.

_What is Sesshoumaru-sama thinking? Where could we be possibly going?_ Jaken silently grumbled as he frowned at the lack of response from his master. _He had me send Ah-Un back to the human village yesterday, so I thought we would be following soon after to see Rin again. But why are we _here_? Sesshoumaru-sama hates coming up to these part of the lands. I mean the only thing that lives up here is that no-good-rotten-old—_

"Totosai," Sesshoumaru called out as he landed gracefully in front of a cave. At the landing, Jaken promptly bounced against the ground and away from his lord. "Totosai, come out. This Sesshoumaru knows you're in there. I can smell you even through the sulfur and iron."

"My, my, this is a surprise," the elderly sword smith muttered as he emerged from the cave's interior while knocking the soreness from his right shouler. "What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru? I thought you would be patrolling on the other side of your territory right now."

With his usual straight face, the dog demon commanded, "Forge two swords for this Sesshoumaru."

"Two? Keh, you're as demanding as ever—didn't even warm up with demanding for one," Totosai grumbled as the old demon shuffled about his abode. He poured himself a cup of hot tea and settled himself comfortably against the wall while ignoring Jaken's incessant racket about disrespecting his lord. As Totosai simply sat and drank his tea, Sesshoumaru stood still in his spot while glaring at the weapons maker expectantly; however, he remained silent and made no threats as he usually did.

_This is new. Playing passive, huh? Oh, this must really be hard for you, pup._

With a shrewd gaze, Totosai questioned the younger apparition, "Why do you need two swords anyway? You already have two of your own. Both swords, which I may add, are quite powerful in their own rights—one you even made yourself, Bakusaiga. Haven't you learned your lessons already from Tessaiga and Tenseiga?" Totosai then mumbled beneath his breath, "A pup like you is getting arrogant when he wants more power. Take a page from your father's book." When he noticed Sesshoumaru's glare, the sword smith coughed to the side and asked nonchalantly, "Why would you need more?"

"They're not for me."

_Well this is a surprise_, Totosai choked on his drink. Hoping that Sesshoumaru did not notice his reaction, the old man thudded his lower back and said nonchalantly, "Oh?"

"They're for others." Sesshoumaru, in Totosai's opinion, looked somewhat uncomfortable as he said that and the following: "Rather, they're meant to protect their bearers."

The elderly demon could not believe his eyes or ears. The arrogant, self-serving Sesshoumaru stood before him demanding weapons for people other than himself—and to protect others no less!

_Who the hell is this person? I mean it looks like Sesshoumaru and smells like him—he even has that killer aura to boot. But honestly, that whelp would never come here asking me to make weapons for other people. Then again…ever since _her_, from what I heard from his mother, he's been different. Ah, the hell, I'll take what I can from this rude pup._ Getting up, Totosai stoked his fires, piled up more wood, and breathed on the growing flames to make them even hotter. "Who exactly am I making these weapons for and what do you want me to make them out of?"

Seating himself on the ground, Sesshoumaru opened his mouth peacefully. Amazed that he had been given permission for this, Totosai took his pliers and pulled out two healthy fangs from Sesshoumaru's mouth. The blacksmith admired the quality of the two fangs while the demon lord instructed, "One will be for Inuyasha's whelp. You can figure out why."

_The world is ending, isn't it? Sesshoumaru came here to make a weapon for Inuyasha's son, of all people. He wants to protect the part-demon child of the half-brother that he has hated for decades. Inu-no-Taishou-sama, you're calling for the end of days, aren't you?_ Almost afraid to ask, Totosai inquired reluctantly, "And the other?"

"For a human." Thinking further, Sesshoumaru added without shame, "That sword will need to be smaller than usual—small enough for a human girl."

"A human girl, eh?" Totosai did not know whether to be surprised or disappointed. After having spoken with Sesshoumaru's mother about the changes seen in Inu-no-Taishou's first son, the importance of Rin was made clear. Sesshoumaru had never cared about anything in his long life but for power and conquest; his obsession with power even left him with bitter feelings for his father and half-brother due to the ownerships of Tessaiga and Tenseiga. Most importantly of all, the great demon lord's son had hated the pathetic, weak creatures known as humans: Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's many battles were daily proof of that.

So, according to the great dog demon lady, when Sesshoumaru abandoned his pursuit of power for the sake of a little human girl, that was news for everyone. Furthermore, when he apparently lamented for Rin's loss and felt relief over her revival, Sesshoumaru cemented Rin's place in his cold heart. Therefore, naturally Sesshoumaru wanted to protect something precious to him and would want something made for her. But did he have to follow his father's path?

_But Inu-no-Taishou-sama didn't make anything for Izayoi-dono…Well, except for that fire-rat robe, but that was perfectly safe to wear. A weapon is a very different thing._ And with that thought, Totosai frowned. "Your fang might be too powerful for any human to wield, Sesshoumaru. In general, humans can't handle weapons meant for demon masters or from demon parts. I can't even imagine how a human girl is going to handle something of your fang."

"It will yield to its master," Sesshoumaru promised with the narrowing of his golden eyes.

"I see," Totosai coughed, averting his gaze. "Well, ahem, then give me three weeks. I'll have them both done by then."

Standing and shaking the dust and smoke from his clothes, the demon lord declared, "Fine. This Sesshoumaru will return in three weeks. I'll bring the appropriate payment then." Turning his glare towards a darkened corner, he barked, "Jaken, we're leaving."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Watching Sesshoumaru and his little retainer take off into the skies, Totosai shook his head. "I guess Inu-no-Taishou-sama's blood is stronger than anything else. That little whelp is becoming more like his father every time I see him." Tossing up the two fangs into the air and catching them, the elderly demon chuckled, "Thank goodness for that."

* * *

"How in the world did I get to the feudal era?" Keirin wondered out loud as she sat on the edge of the well, her legs dangling towards the dark bottom. She had been sitting there for two hours, contemplating on what Kagome had tasked her to do: figure out how Keirin had traveled from the present to the distant past.

_"Just try and remember what you were thinking and how you were feeling at that time, Rin-chan,"_ the young priestess had instructed her. _"Remember what exactly you wished for, if any interesting objects were near you, or if you felt a presence of any sort. Something pulled you into the feudal era, so that something can push you back towards the present. All we need to do is figure out how to do it."_

"But there's nothing really in particular that stands out," the young lady sighed while resting her head in her hands while leaning her elbows onto her knees. "I mean all I did was wish to meet the person I've been looking for."

As she said this, Keirin looked down at her new yukata sleeve, the pale green light silk decorated with fiery orange flowers and gold and dark green ivy embroidery; the rich yellow obi with dandelion imprints wrapped around her small waist stood out against the dress, the back knotted and tied to resemble the summer flower. "I only wanted to see Sesshoumaru-sama," she whispered as she tenderly traced the designs on the latest gift from the demon lord. "That was my wish, wasn't it?"

Already six weeks had gone by since Keirin first appeared from the Bone Eater's Well. Her injuries had healed nicely, and only small scars on the bottom of her feet remained. Easily she had made friends with Inuyasha, his family, and his friends; the half-demon acted like the older brother she had lost years ago; Kagome and Sango were her long-lost sisters; Miroku was the doting in-law; the children never left Keirin alone if they could help it; and Kaede loved her as any grandmother would her grandchild. Keirin got along with the fox demon Shippou whenever he came to the village, but he was often absent due to his training for the fox-demon exams. Once during his stay, Shippou had bragged to the new girl about how he would soon reach the fifth highest rank for a fox-demon after this year's coming test. Therefore he did not have much time to spend in Edo and instead needed to constantly train.

And outside of the group living in Edo, Keirin had made more friends during her stay. She became better acquainted with Sango's brother, Kohaku, although the young slayer kept a noticeable distance between them. Sango had ambiguously explained later that Kohaku did so out of respect for Sesshoumaru-sama—perhaps after some time her brother would explain himself better when he could.

Other friends were Jaken and Ah-Un. When her feet had healed to where she could walk on her own again, Keirin had returned Ah-Un to Sesshoumaru. Afterward, Jaken would visit the young lady with the two-headed dragon on the days that Sesshoumaru did not; sometimes Ah-Un would come alone for a visit and then leave at sundown. And although the great dog demon did not visit Edo everyday, he made an effort to regularly visit every few days. Through those visits the last six weeks, Keirin had learned so much about Sesshoumaru and about herself.

_When he's happy, his expression is calm and serene—he'll be a little lost in his thoughts. When Sesshoumaru-sama is angry, he won't say much and there'll be a slight furrow in his brow. If he likes something, he'll watch it and keep an eye on it while pretending he isn't really interested._

Keirin giggled behind her silken sleeves as she remembered the last time she had seen the demon lord. _He would never admit it, but he really liked the little pink flowers shaped like stars. Maybe I can find some later and dry them for Sesshoumaru-sama—hopefully they'll please him. Lately he seems to have a lot on his mind, as if he's impatient for something. I wonder what he's waiting for?_

When the teen almost fell backwards off the well, she remembered her primary task. _Ah, I need to focus and do what Onee-san told me to do. I'm sure that Okaa-san and Otou-san are worried about me…Onii-chan is probably wreaking havoc looking for me._ Yes, Keirin's family: what were they up to now? Were they searching for her all over Japan? Did they think her kidnapped or dead? And what about her friends?

"Kusa and Sen must be worried, and the others too…I hope they don't feel guilty," Keirin murmured as she thought of the night she disappeared. "It isn't their faults I got pulled through the well. Hopefully they'll understand and won't blame themselves."

Renewed by the thoughts of her friends and family in present-day Tokyo, Keirin began recalling all the details she could about that night she fell in the well. As she replayed the moment over and over again in her memory, the sixteen-year old girl noticed a solitary wolf sniffing away at the edge of the trees. Frightened, she slowly turned and pulled her legs out of the well and towards the ground.

_"Don't go too far away from the village,"_ Inuyasha had warned her some days prior. _"There are scary demons and wild animals everywhere, and they have no qualms against attacking a defenseless human girl like you. Bandits and wolves are actually the largest problems, so be smart, all right?"_

Another wolf then appeared and it howled long into the air. A cold shiver ran down Keirin's spine and stabbed at her innards; why was she so terrified? Why did her very soul dread the thought of wolves?

Afraid for her life, Keirin swiftly leapt from the well and ran as fast as she could back towards the village. When she heard the sounds of padded paws and panting behind her, she only forced herself to run even faster. "Onii-san!" she yelled when she saw the outskirts of Edo. "Onii-san!" she cried out when she saw a mane of white standing outside of a hut.

Two dog ears swiveled towards the shouts. "Eh?"

"Onii-san, help," Keirin cried while hugging him. She buried her face into his robes. "There are wolves. Wolves were chasing me."

"Wolves?" Inuyasha stared at the shivering girl in his arms. _Woah, I've never seen her this scared before. What's going on?_ "Hey, you okay? What about wolves?"

"They were chasing me from the well. They were chasing me!" Tears welled up in Keirin's brown eyes as they pleaded for the half-demon to understand. "Please make them go away, Onii-san."

_This girl isn't afraid of demons and dragons at first sight but cries at wolves? What's up with that?_ For confirmation, Inuyasha sniffed the air and growled in annoyance. "Keh, those aren't just any damn wolves we've got here—they're demon wolves. Damn it, what the hell is _he_ doing all the way over here?"

As if on cue, a small whirlwind of dust flew into the village and stopped in front of Keirin and Inuyasha. Protectively Inuyasha threw an arm around the girl, shielding her from the flying dirt with his long sleeves. When she heard the dust settling around her, Keirin heard the half-demon shouting, "What the hell are you doing here, dumb wolf? And what's with the party?"

Keirin could hear the whines of a number of wolves as the animals panted for breath. Then she heard two other voices apologize, "Sorry, Inuyasha—we've been traveling in bigger packs recently."

"Yeah, hunting this season is a little tough."

"Hakaku, Ginta! Shut it!" a young man's voice barked. "And to answer your stupid question: I'm here to congratulate Kagome, stupid mutt," Kouga replied while crossing his arms authoritatively. "Even if the pup has you for a father, he's still related to Kagome, and that's good enough reason to come and visit." The alpha then noticed the frightened girl in Inuyasha's arms. "Who's that? Keh, don't tell me you've already abandoned Kagome for another wench."

"As if, bastard!"

"Inuyasha, what's going on outside?" Kagome demanded in frustration as she stepped out of their home with a fussy baby in her arms. "You woke up Yuuma-chan from his nap."

Kouga's eyes lit up as he stood in front of the woman in an instant. "Kagome!"

"Kouga-kun?" Kagome blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to congratulate you," the wolf grinned happily as he took one of Kagome's hands into his own. "Heh, motherhood has only made you more beautiful. It's a shame it's wasted on a guy like that mutt." Kouga then looked down at the still fussy Yuuma cradled against Kagome. "So this is the whelp, eh? Heh, it looks like he took more after you, Kagome. Good for him—he should take more after his mother."

Blushing from all the flattery, Kagome waved away the compliments. "Ne, stop it, Kouga-kun. You're making me blush."

"Yeah, stop it and get lost," Inuyasha snarled. "Look, even the baby wants you to scram." As his father pointed out, Yuuma scrunched his face together in disapproval of the demonic presences of the wolves. Although mostly human at this point, the infant could easily tell a demon from a human with his sensitive senses.

"Shut up, you mutt," Kouga snapped back. "At least have some decency and not hold another woman in front of your wife! Honestly, you have a kid now, so your two-timing days should be long over."

"I'm telling you, bastard wolf, I'm not two-timing!"

"Yeah? Then who's the wench that's been attached to you since I got here?" Kouga demanded as he stepped forward towards the dog and hidden girl. Just as Inuyasha was about to retort, Kouga sniffed slightly and muttered, "Hey, she smells familiar."

Still hiding in the safety of Inuyasha's arms, Keirin questioned herself. _Why am I so scared of him? He hasn't done anything to me, and he's Onee-san's friend…so why…why can't I stop shaking?_ Rallying her courage, she snuck a look over her shoulder, only to come directly face to face with a toothy smile from the wolf demon. Surprised, Keirin hastily ran behind Inuyasha for protection.

Catching a full glimpse of the human's pretty features before they retreated behind Inuyasha's sleeves, the alpha wolf exclaimed, "Hey, she's pretty cute." Granted, her shy behavior turned him slightly off, the young leader wanting a confident woman for a mate; but her pretty face and familiar pleasant scent overrode all that for the moment. Curious about this new specimen, Kouga approached her and grinned wolfishly. "I'm Kouga of the Wolves. And who might you be?"

Focused on the wolves lingering by Kouga's feet, Keirin remembered her many nightmares in the past, the ones where wolves chased her relentlessly through the darkness. Their glowing eyes haunted her dreams from time to time, but they would recede as she reached out for the one with golden eyes: Sesshoumaru-sama. Whenever Keirin thought of the demon lord, the wolves would retreat and disappear and she would no longer be afraid. Unfortunately for her, Sesshoumaru was on the other side of the country on some important business—but luckily Inuyasha was here for her in her lord's place.

"Who she is is none of your business," Inuyasha growled defensively as he pushed Keirin further behind him. "And thanks for your congratulations, but you should get going now. Wolves aren't very welcome near human villages for good reason."

"Relax, relax," Kouga assured while motioning towards his pack. "Haven't I said before that we don't attack humans anymore? And these guys have been on their best behavior. Hakaku and Ginta know how to keep these rascals in line, and they're having a nice visit with Kagome." His vision then turned towards Keirin. "Besides, I can't leave just yet. I still don't know her name."

Drawn into the conversation, Kagome quickly remarked, "Kouga-kun, I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Eh? What's wrong with knowing her name, Kagome?" he asked innocently.

_How am I supposed to explain all that?_ Kagome thought as she bit her lip. _Sesshoumaru has been protective of Rin-chan ever since she appeared—even Kohaku-kun has kept his distance from her so that Sesshoumaru wouldn't be angry. Would Kouga-kun understand if we told him that Rin-chan _belongs_ to Sesshoumaru?_

Seeing that the wolf demon meant no real harm, Keirin stepped forward from her hiding place behind Inuyasha and approached Kouga. Bravely she told him, "My name is Asagao Keirin." Politely she bowed in greeting.

Happy to have the girl willingly offer her name herself, Kouga grabbed her hand in both of his and grinned, "Keirin, eh? What a very pretty name!" His bushy tail wagged gleefully behind him.

Appalled, the young lady firmly slapped Kouga's hands off of her hand and chided sternly, "Please refer to me as Asagao. I really don't know who you are and would rather you not refer to me by my personal name."

Keirin's spunk only further fueled Kouga's attraction to her. _So she isn't as shy as she made herself out to be. She's actually a bit snippy...Heh, I like it. _"Yeah, yeah, whatever you want, Asagao. Ne, she's super cute—reminds me a lot of you, Kagome. She's just as spirited as you were the first time we met." Deciding that the visit was done, Kouga called on his underlings to head out of the village. Before he left, the wolf turned around and sneakily kissed Keirin on the cheek and ran away, promising, "I'll come back some time soon to see you! Don't miss me too much!"

Keirin stared on in shock with a blush staining her cheeks.

Inuyasha did a face-palm while muttering, "That dumb wolf is going to get us all slaughtered."


	6. Sixth

**Disclaimer**: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.

**Author's note (24.08.2009):** Sorry everyone for the slow update on this story. Classes have started again, and things are very busy now that I have to be responsible for my own life again. I'm afraid to say that there won't be another update for a long while, so I hope that you enjoy this chapter and it will keep you appeased until the future. I want to thank everyone for the reviews, and I hope that this latest installment meets up to expectations. Happy Reading.

* * *

**Promise  
Sixth**

* * *

_Sesshoumaru-sama has been acting most peculiar as of late,_ Jaken thought as he held onto the mokomoko for his dear life. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" the little demon called out hopefully. After all, he never knew if his master would grace him with an answer. "I don't mean to pry or question the workings of your great genius…but why have you made something for Inuyasha's whelp? Wouldn't it be best to let the half-breed deal with his own spawn?"

_Why indeed?_ Sesshoumaru wondered himself. Never in his wildest nightmares would he have helped his worthless half-brother—that mongrel only deserved a good god-sent beating—and Sesshoumaru's less-than-demon nephew was completely out of the question. So why? Why had he commissioned Totosai to forge a sword for the little brat? He did not care at all what happened to that infant quarter-breed. In Sesshoumaru's sight, the child blighted the family line more so than Inuyasha.

_"I hope that Yuuma-kun will be all right when he's older. It would break my heart if he were to lose control and destroy himself, especially right now when he's so small. I could never imagine him becoming a killer."_

As Rin's voice rang through his thoughts, Sesshoumaru reminded himself his _true_ reason for assisting Inuyasha and his child: they were related to him and held parts of his father's blood. Therefore to keep Inutaishou's pride and honor intact, Sesshoumaru needed to be sure that Inuyasha and the baby would not shame their line by going insane from their demon blood.

His helping them had _nothing_ to do with wanting to please Rin.

"My lord?"

Reminded of Jaken's presence, the dog demon dictated succinctly, "Inuyasha's blood is insufficient enough to keep his son in-check. This Sesshoumaru will not allow Inuyasha to further shame Chichi-ue's name."

"Ah, understood, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The dog demon could feel the toad staring up at him intently. "Jaken," he growled in warning.

"Um, if I may ask further, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken added tremulously, "why have you made the second sword?"

Oh, his ever-annoying retainer was on a roll towards the Eight Hells. But Jaken did bring up good questions, questions that Sesshoumaru had been asking himself since he went to Totosai with these commissions. Why had he tasked the blacksmith to create a blade for the girl? Even when Totosai warned against it, why had Sesshoumaru assured Totosai that Rin would be able to handle the weapon?

_So that I may protect her even though I am not by her side,_ Sesshoumaru answered to himself: an answer that he would never admit to another being, alive or dead.

When Sesshoumaru did not answer the second question out loud, Jaken presumed he had gone too far and had stretched his luck as far as it would go in concerns to his lord. The little imp only prayed that his master would not drop and abandon him in the middle of nowhere and go on without him. _Considering how testy he's been as of late, I wouldn't be surprised if he did,_ Jaken silently sighed. _Too bad Rin no longer travels with us—she usually buffered Sesshoumaru-sama's bad moods._

As they neared Edo with every passing minute, Sesshoumaru wondered what kind of reception awaited him. He had not told Rin prior that he would be visiting today; she expected him two days from now. So would she be surprised by this "spontaneous" visit? Would she be pleased to see him so soon? Or would she mark the occasion with indifference? Reasonably Sesshoumaru did not expect to surprise his brother with the visit—he could easily smell the dog demon's coming miles away—but Inuyasha surprised him when he met Sesshoumaru outside of the human village.

"What brings you here so early?" the younger brother demanded with his arms typically crossed. "You told Rin you'd be here the day after tomorrow. Not that I particularly care about what you do, but you're not one to lie to her."

Wordlessly Sesshoumaru threw a sheathed sword at Inuyasha. Deftly the half-demon caught it by its middle. He stared at the intricately decorated scabbard and admired the handsome hilt. Undoubtedly the weapon was new and finely made, a treasure to be certain. _Why the hell is Sesshoumaru giving it to me?_ "What's this for?" came the question out loud as the sword was held up.

Already tired of conversing with Inuyasha for the day, Sesshoumaru snapped at him, "It's for the whelp, the pathetic being that you call your child."

"Eh?"

"If he's anything like you, he'll need something to keep him from destroying himself with his demon blood. Anything of your make wouldn't suffice." A small upward curve could be detected on Sesshoumaru's lips, and by it Inuyasha felt the subtle smirk slap him across the face. "Name it what you will." Without so much as a nod for farewell, the elder brother turned away and disappeared into the morning mist.

"What's that supposed to mean, you bastard?" Inuyasha yelled after his half-sibling. He knew that Sesshoumaru wouldn't answer back, but he had to shout for good measure—Inuyasha would not let that sly dog get the final word after attacking him like that. _Keh, he really is a bastard. Can't even have a conversation without making some jab at me._

When Inuyasha felt certain that his older brother was gone, he returned to the hut. As soon as he stepped inside, Kagome asked her husband, "Why did you run out suddenly like that? I was worried." The priestess then noticed the extra sword in his hand. "Where did you get that, Inuyasha?"

"That's the weird thing—Sesshoumaru said it's for Yuuma." Inuyasha held the sheathed sword delicately in his two hands, afraid of what curse it would set upon him, not to mention his infant son. "Keh, but I don't if I can trust that bastard…who knows what this thing can do."

From her place by the cooking fire, Keirin giggled.

With a disgruntled frown and a twitch of his white ears, Inuyasha demanded from the girl, "What's so funny?"

Fighting back her growing giggles, the young lady grinned, "Sesshoumaru-sama is shy."

"That bastard? Shy?" Inuyasha raised a disbelieving brow. "Are we thinking about the same person here?"

"Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama just gave a gift to his nephew, and he doesn't know how to admit it openly. It's not something easy for him, you know. Showing open affection isn't Sesshoumaru-sama's specialty," Keirin continued to giggle as she stirred that morning's breakfast. "But it's good to see how much he cares for Yuuma-kun." With that said, she began humming a happy tune she had made up on her own, something reminiscent to her soul—a song she had sang often a long time ago while waiting for her Sesshoumaru-sama's return.

_Sesshoumaru actually cares about his nephew? No, that couldn't be it_, Kagome thought carefully._ As much as I would like it to be so, Sesshoumaru wouldn't be so concerned about Yuuma-chan. It has to be Rin-chan…he did it for Rin-chan._

Miroku and Sango then came into the home, the priest calling out, "Pardon our intrusion, but we just saw Sesshoumaru-sama leaving the village. Has something happened?"

"He made a special delivery for Yuuma-chan." As she said that, Kagome pulled the sword from its scabbard. When the blade glinted in the morning light, the young woman could sense a very distinct aura emitting from the flawless metal. "It's made from his fang." She looked at her husband with wide eyes. "Sesshoumaru took one of his fangs to Totosai 'jii-san and made a sword for our son. He's given protection to Yuuma-chan, Inuyasha."

Wanting to hide his surprise and awe, Inuyasha folded his arms and muttered gruffly, "I could've done that."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Miroku mused while observing the blade.

A vein throbbed on the half-demon's head. "Are you trying to pick a fight?"

"I'm just saying, Inuyasha," the priest tried appeasing his friend, "maybe a sword made from your fang wouldn't be strong enough to contain the strong demon blood running through your son's veins. You yourself have Tessaiga from your father, a pureblood dog demon." Miroku flicked the flat side of the sword and nodded in approval at the loud metallic twang. "Although Yuuma-kun has less demon blood than you and could possibly be easily subdued by something made from your fang, his demon blood could be more concentrated and destructive than your own. Sesshoumaru-sama has probably thought of this and thus had this made for your son. Undoubtedly a fang from a full demon would be stronger than that of a half-demon."

_But the concern is out of place, _Miroku mused._ It's understandable why Inuyasha's father made Tessaiga—since Inuyasha is his own son, the demon lord wouldn't want Inuyasha destroying himself. But Sesshoumaru-sama hates Inuyasha, and Yuuma-kun is Inuyasha's son, Sesshoumaru-sama's nephew; they have no direct relation. So why would Sesshoumaru-sama protect a child that he has no responsibility over?_

"It's a miracle in itself that Sesshoumaru-sama would do this at all." Sango shook her head as she expertly examined the new sword. "Totosai 'jii-san has definitely outdone himself with this—I've never seen anything like it, even with Tessaiga and Tensaiga." She looked to Kagome and Inuyasha with an incredulous grin. "Who would have thought that Sesshoumaru-sama cared this much for your son, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha stared at the sword thoughtfully.

* * *

Having finished her chores for the day, Keirin left Edo and went towards Inuyasha's forest where she knew Sesshoumaru waited for her. When she spotted him resting against a tree's base beneath the patches of shade and sunlight, she skipped towards him in glee. "Thank you for what you did, Sesshoumaru-sama. Onee-san and Onii-san really appreciate what you've done for Yuuma-kun and told me to express their thanks for your concern."

"It was for Chichi-ue's name," Sesshoumaru growled from his place. "This Sesshoumaru will not have anyone with Chichi-ue's blood disgrace our name or household simply because he loses control."

"Yes, yes," Keirin laughed. Even if Sesshoumaru appeared angry and annoyed, she knew that he felt happy for the thanks and was somewhat embarrassed. What she didn't know was that he was happy for _her_ thanks, not his brother's. "I'm sure Yuuma-kun will do his best to bring honor to his sword and you when he's old enough."

Without ceremony, Sesshoumaru picked up something from the ground beside him and handed it to the human girl. "This one is for you."

"For me?" Keirin lightly held the kodachi in her hands. She stared in awe at the lovely butterflies and flowers carved into the scabbard and the bright, colorful cloth used for the handle. The golden bronze used for the hilt and pommel glinted and reflected her image. Breathlessly she asked, "Why?"

"This Sesshoumaru has always provided for Rin. This blade is no different than the clothing or hairpins."

_He's always provided for me?_ Keirin frowned as she thought about Sesshoumaru's words. Granted, what he said was true: he did always provide her. As long as she had been in Feudal Japan, Sesshoumaru had clothed her with beautiful kimonos, lovely yukatas, and exquisite accessories. But she never understood why Sesshoumaru would give her all these gifts without expecting anything in return—and according to Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru never gave anything away nor was the type to dote on people.

_So why does he give me these precious things when I have nothing to give him? I've done nothing to deserve any of this._ But she knew her place and understood that Sesshoumaru would be terribly offended if she refused his kindness. Therefore, Keirin held the gift weapon against her chest and bowed gratefully, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama. I will treasure it."

"Keep it with you wherever you go," he ordered while standing and brushing leaves and grass from his noble person. "It should offer you protection. If this Sesshoumaru recalls correctly, you know how to handle a sword."

Keirin blushed, the girl surprised that Sesshoumaru had remembered that little detail she had shared five weeks prior. She thought that Sesshoumaru had ignored her as she had prattled on about her life in modern Japan, about high school and her friends, about her kendo club and other activities. Then again at that time, he had asked her one question, to explain what kind of sport kendo was—so Sesshoumaru actually had been listening to her in detail. And now he had given her something in thoughtfulness of that minute information. Again Keirin bowed to him and said, "Yes. Thank you so much, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Rin, come here."

"Eh?" Obediently she moved to his side. But a question lit her brown eyes, the girl wondering about the sudden edge in the demon lord's voice.

At first, it had been faint and unimportant and he had paid little attention to it. But now that Sesshoumaru stood nearer to the girl, he realized that the scent had been coming from her, the scent of wolves. As the past dredged itself from his memories, worry gripped him. Tonelessly as he could muster, the demon lord demanded, "Did something happen while this Sesshoumaru was gone?"

Thinking carefully, Keirin reviewed all recent events. None came to mind that would interest the dog demon in particular. "No, nothing really, Sesshoumaru-sama. It's been rather uneventful recently."

Golden eyes narrowed at the response. _No, that can't be true—otherwise she wouldn't have this scent lingering on her._ _Is she hiding something from me?_ Sesshoumaru scorned himself at that thought. _Rin has never hidden anything from me. She has never hidden the truth from this Sesshoumaru._

Then a thought occurred to the sixteen-year old girl. "Well, something different did happen while Sesshoumaru-sama was away. Kouga of the Wolves came to visit Onee-san and—"

"Kouga of the Wolves?" Sesshoumaru's eyes glowered to molten amber. "He was here?"

Again Keirin heard the edge in her lord's voice; but now she could also feel his smoldering anger bubbling beneath the surface. _Why? What is going on? Why is Sesshoumaru-sama upset? _"Ah, do Sesshoumaru-sama and Kouga-san not get along?"

"We are neutral," was the restrained reply.

"Ah, I see." _Then why is Sesshoumaru-sama so angry?_ "Well, he visited Onee-san to congratulate her on giving birth," Keirin continued carefully. "Afterwards, he visited two more times before he said that his clan needed him to return to their mountain. Onii-san said that Kouga-san wouldn't be returning soon if he must return to his clan." She looked at Sesshoumaru and his stiffer-than-usual stance. "Are you sure you're all right, Sesshoumaru-sama? You're upset."

"You were not frightened?"

"Ah, I was a bit scared of him," the sixteen-year old girl admitted easily. "For the longest time I've been frightened of wolves, which doesn't make much sense since in my time there aren't many wild wolves running about. But they were always chasing me in my nightmares—those were the worst." Indeed, wolves had scared her for as long as she could remember: so much so that Keirin had even hated dogs that _looked_ like wolves.

_But now I have Sesshoumaru-sama to protect me,_ Keirin thought happily as she held the kodachi against her. _He's here to keep the wolves away._ "Anyway, Onii-san protected me at first, but when I realized that Kouga-san meant no harm, he wasn't as scary. He's actually quite friendly for a demon."

_So different from the Rin of old,_ Sesshoumaru observed with some dissatisfaction. _Even with my presence, she would have never approached a wolf willingly._ Then he recalled the last thing the girl had spoken. "Friendly?"

"Well, he claimed that he would make me his woman, but he's just being silly," Keirin giggled. "There's no way he could be serious, having just met me recently. Don't wolves mate for life? And wolf-demons aren't much different, right, Sesshoumaru-sama? Wouldn't Kouga-san take greater consideration of who his partner will be if that's the case?"

"Keirin! Keirin, where are you?" a loud voice called out. Both Sesshoumaru and Keirin turned their attention towards the noise, wondering who in the world would interrupt their time together. In mere moments, a form could be seen sprinting towards them, a form they both recognized. Kouga's eyes brightened at the sight of Keirin. "Ah, here you are," he grinned wolfishly. "You look very pretty today. I like this shade of blue on you."

Ignoring the compliment, the girl questioned, "Kouga-san? What are you doing here? I thought you were returning to your clan on the other side of the mountains. And how many times have I told you to call me Asagao?"

"Why waste such a pretty name?" the wolf smiled with maximum confidence. "And I came to see you, of course. I wanted to see if you've changed your mind about me yet."

"But your clan—"

"Can wait a few days," Kouga assured her. "They're only making a fuss because they're tired of working for themselves. Those lazy brats need some toughening up, so it's fine."

_Fine for you, I'm sure,_ Keirin fretted as she bit her lip. _But Sesshoumaru-sama isn't happy one bit. Of course he's angry that I'm ignoring him right now—but it's not like I'm doing it on purpose! I better get rid of Kouga-san fast before Sesshoumaru-sama gets really angry._ "Kouga-san, it isn't a very good time right now. Could you perhaps visit later?"

"Later?" He then finally noticed Sesshoumaru standing a little ways off. Scrunching his face in disapproval, the wolf-tribe leader demanded, "What's the mutt's older brother doing here?" To the dog demon, he asked, "You're Sesshoumaru, right?"

Annoyed and offended, Sesshoumaru had little patience for this low-class demon. "Leave us."

Kouga's hackles rose in immediate defense. Always he had been the alpha-male of his pack, and very rarely was his authority and status questioned. And now, here stood another canine exuding superiority and demanding that Kouga grovel at his feet. _Well, you can just bite me, Big Brother. I bow down to no one, not even to a full demon like you._ "Hey, I came to see Keirin. If you don't like it, then you could just leave."

Obviously the dog demon did not take too kindly to Kouga's words, and the air noticeably thickened with tension. Both dominant males refused to retreat in any form. Afraid that a fight would soon break out, Keirin quickly tried to appease the angered demon lord. "Sesshoumaru-sama, please…let me speak with Kouga-san, and then—"

He silenced her with a motion of his hand, all the while glaring at the wolf-man. "Insolence."

"You want to fight?" Kouga crouched into a fighting stance with a smirk. "Keh, let's go then!" Launching himself towards Sesshoumaru, Kouga swung a kick and swiped with his claws only to have his attacks deftly dodged by the white dog. In answer to the attack, Sesshoumaru leapt into the air and swung down his poison whip at the wolf. Kouga side-stepped it and jumped into the air to meet his opponent. A long crevice in the earth stood testament to the strength of Sesshoumaru's whip.

"Kouga-san! Sesshoumaru-sama! Please don't fight!" Keirin shouted uselessly from the ground.

"What makes you think you can claim this girl?" Kouga demanded as he climbed into the air branch by branch. "From what I remember you hate humans and half-demons." With his last words, he performed a fly-kick but missed. A tree fell.

"Likewise for you," Sesshoumaru hissed as he spun around to capture the wolf in his whip.

"Hey, Naraku was a pain in the ass—and Inuyasha is tolerable on most occasions. Besides, he's your brother." Kouga blocked Sesshoumaru's swing and leapt into another tree to maintain the same altitude as Sesshoumaru. "And as for humans, the good ones like Kagome I can live with. Keirin is one of those people."

_Stop saying her name, bastard._ Clenching his teeth, Sesshoumaru drew Bakusaiga from its sheath and swung it at Kouga. "You, of all people, don't deserve this girl."

"What?" Having heard of what Bakusaiga did to Naraku five years ago, Kouga did all he could to avoid being cut by Sesshoumaru's special sword. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you think after killing her once you can have her? Impudence."

"Killed her? I've never—okay, I've killed some humans in my day, but not recently. And I don't remember killing anyone like her."

_Of course you would not, you worthless trash_, Sesshoumaru thought with a fierce growl. _That is how little her life mattered to you. You do not deserve anything she has to give._

Following the two airborne demons from the ground, Keirin called out to them in hopes to stop their catastrophic fighting. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Drawing his own sword, Kouga caught Bakusaiga and pushed it against Sesshoumaru. Glaring into the demon lord's face, the wolf-man barked, "Keirin can do whatever she wants! And what gives you the right to her anyway?"

"Kouga-san!"

Pushing Kouga away, Sesshoumaru snapped, "Her life is indebted to me."

_Indebted to him?_ Keirin frowned at this as she watched the fight from her place on the ground. She chased after them, jumping over tree roots and maneuvering through the thick woods. _Why would my life be indebted to Sesshoumaru-sama…well, okay he's saved me a couple of times, but he's never demanded that I return him any favors. So what's going on?_

With another swing-kick, Kouga parried Sesshoumaru's attack and punched the dog demon with his free hand. "So what is she, your pet?"

"That is not your concern."

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Kouga-san! Please, stop fighting!" Keirin shouted. She tripped over a root and hissed from the pain of a scraped knee and bruised shins. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Please, don't fight!" Her efforts were futile, the two demons completely intent on annihilating the other. She shrieked and ducked as an attack just skimmed above her head. _That was close,_ Keirin gasped.

A sting shot through her. _This doesn't look really good_, the girl thought as she bit her lip. There was a tear in her blue kimono, blood smeared against the rough edges. Already she could feel warm blood trickling down her leg.

Struggling to her feet with the help of a nearby tree, Keirin looked up into the treetops to where Sesshoumaru and Kouga still battled. Leaves and branches, cut from their holds, littered the air and forest floor. Here and there a tree would shudder and fall; deep crevices and craters would form. The air crackled with all of the demon energy from the two full-blooded demons.

_I have to get them to stop—I have to stop them somehow._

Keirin felt the hairs on her neck stand on end. Looking around, she found herself caught in between two oncoming attacks with nowhere to run. She closed her eyes, praying for rescue the only thing she could do. But she felt herself jerked upwards and into the air and then a great collision beneath her. When Keirin opened her eyes, she gazed into Inuyasha's concerned face. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

Hugging the half-demon gratefully and in great relief, Keirin shakily answered, "Kouga-san and Sesshoumaru-sama are fighting! They wouldn't stop—it's because of me, so I tried to stop them. Why won't they stop, Onii-san?"

Fury built up in Inuyasha's heart as he watched the tears spill down the girl's cheeks. Her hands shook as she desperately clutched onto Inuyasha's clothes. _What the hell are these guys doing? Don't they care about her at all?_

As his feet touched the ground, Inuyasha slowly released Keirin from his embrace. Her body still shook and she could not stop her tears. Her kimono ripped, dirt smeared all over her face, and blood staining her clothes, the human girl looked as if she had been put through hell. Unable to look at her further, Inuyasha ordered, "Go back to the village and get Kagome—tell her to leave Yuuma at home."

"But—"

"Stay with Yuuma. Watch him and send Kagome here." Inuyasha wiped some tears from her face. "It'll be fine. You'll be safe and I'll sort everything out, okay? Now go. I'll take care of everything."

When the girl limped away and disappeared and he knew that she was a good distance away, Inuyasha drew Tessaiga from its sheath and gave one good swing with the large blade towards the two fighting demons. Sensing the oncoming danger, both demons parted from each other and gracefully avoided the attack. Finally holding their attention, Inuyasha barked, "Kouga lay off! You too, Sesshoumaru!"

First Sesshoumaru had to deal with Inuyasha in the early morning; then he had to deal with the insolent wolf; and now his irritating half-brother was here to bother him again. Sesshoumaru most definitely had no patience left for fools today. "You dare to command this Sesshoumaru?" He bared his fangs.

"Not like I have a choice right now!" Inuyasha glared while baring his own canines. "The two of you are sending the entire village into chaos and have Rin worried sick, not to mention hurt and bleeding from your attacks. Both of you almost killed her a minute ago and didn't even care! And who knows what else happened to her before I came! Now shut up and get lost."

And for the first time, Sesshoumaru noticed the absence of Keirin's presence and the strong scent of her sweet blood. Where had she disappeared to? And how badly was she hurt?

Right then, Kagome appeared on the scene and called out, "Inuyasha! Kouga-kun!"

Immediately the wolf ran to the woman with an eager expression. "Eh? What's wrong, Kagome? What brings you out here?"

"Thank goodness, you're not terribly hurt," she sighed in relief.

"Keh, of course, I wouldn't be," Kouga said proudly with a puff of his chest. "I am a pure-blood demon—I can handle anything that comes my way."

"Kouga-kun," Kagome pleaded, "it would be best that you don't pursue Rin-chan. You should just leave her to Sesshoumaru."

Deflated, the young alpha male demanded, "Why the hell should I surrender to that bastard?"

"Not like I don't agree with your sentiment," Inuyasha muttered as he stood by his wife's side, "but Kagome is right. That girl isn't meant for you, wolf."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to snap something, but Kagome raised a hand to silence him. She turned to Kouga and explained calmly, "Sesshoumaru has protected Rin-chan for a very long time, Kouga-kun. He's saved her life many times and he's always taken care of her. Her life belongs to him, Kouga-kun, so in a sense Rin-chan belongs to him."

"What?"

"Kagome, take him to the other side of the village," Inuyasha instructed with some frustration. "Explain to him there. I'll clean up things here." Before his wife left, he asked, "Is she all right?"

Knowing what he meant, she answered levelly, "Sango-chan is attending to her right now. She should be fine." Kagome touched her husband's cheek. "Be careful."

Leaning into her touch, Inuyasha promised, "Yeah, don't worry." He said nothing until Kouga and Kagome safely left the clearing.

Sesshoumaru glared at his half-brother. "Where is she?"

"Get lost, bastard," Inuyasha growled with his hackles raised. "You've done enough here."

"Where is the girl?"

"Asshole, do you think after all that you've done to her that I'm going to let you get near her? Keh, I don't care if you've become a great demon lord like Chichi—I'm going to kick your ass if you try to come any nearer." Inuyasha swung Tessaiga and pointed the enormous blade towards his brother's face. "You're the last person right now that deserves to see her. You've scared her and hurt her more than anyone else could have. Now get lost before I cut off your left arm again."

Sesshoumaru lifted Bakusaiga and had its tip touch Tessaiga's. With a fearsome glower, the elder brother growled, "You seem to have forgotten your place, half-breed."

"And you're the biggest idiot I've ever met!" Inuyasha snapped fiercely. "Even if I told you where she was, she wouldn't want to be near you right now. So go away. Come back in a few days—maybe she'll talk to you then." He said nothing more as he turned around and kicked back dirt at Sesshoumaru. With a huff, Inuyasha leapt into the air as a sign for the conversation's end.

Having half the mind to teach Inuyasha exactly who ordered whom, Sesshoumaru prepared to follow his little brother; however, he noticed something glinting from the side of his eye. Turning towards the glint's direction, Sesshoumaru saw the kodachi he had given Keirin lying on the ground across tree roots. Picking it up in his hands, he thought of the girl he had given the blade to and Inuyasha's parting words.

_"Come back in a few days—maybe she'll talk to you then."_

_What happened to Rin?_ What did Sesshoumaru do for her to not want to see him? In all his time knowing her, Keirin had never _not_ wanted to see him—she had told him that she wanted to be with him forever. Sesshoumaru growled at how easily he believed Inuyasha's words when he knew better. _Rin would never turn away from me._

But what assurances did he have now? Why did the scent of her blood hang in the air? Had Keirin been attacked? Why did the sword that Sesshoumaru had presented to her not protect her? Why had he not done something for her during his fight with the wolf? As his clawed fingers wrapped around the kodachi, Sesshoumaru's brows creased at the disturbing sensations spreading through his chest: guilt and anxiety.


	7. Seventh

**Disclaimer**: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.

**Author's note (11.10.2009):** It's been about two months since I've updated. I think I can be forgiven considering the length of this chapter. I hope that everyone enjoys this latest installment. And please provide me feedback, good or bad—I cannot develop as a better writer without commentary on my writing.

As always, happy reading.

* * *

**Promise  
Seventh**

* * *

As Keirin ran out of the hut and towards Inuyasha's Forest to meet Sesshoumaru, Kagome and Sango watched the teenage girl with knowing grins. "She's most eager today," Sango laughed as she continued hanging up the day's wash on the line. "I don't think I've ever seen her finish her chores so quickly."

"She wouldn't even stay long enough to have lunch before she went. She said that she didn't want to make Sesshoumaru wait any longer than he already has," Kagome smiled in amusement as she fed Yuuma his meal. "I'm glad to see what a good influence Rin-chan has on Sesshoumaru—I still can't get over what he did this morning."

Sango nodded in agreement as she hung a small kimono to dry. "Undoubtedly he did it because of Rin-chan, if not for her. He wouldn't do it for anyone else." Her brown eyes glanced towards the dense forest as Sango murmured, "But I do wonder what she said to make him actually go and commission a sword from Totosai-sama. Rin-chan isn't one to ask something from Sesshoumaru-sama, if anyone at all."

_And it's not like Totosai 'jii-san to agree with Sesshoumaru for anything. He must have been very honest about his feelings to get the sword made, _Kagome thought with bubbling happiness. "I doubt Rin-chan said anything special," the priestess grinned goofily. "Sesshoumaru was probably just being thoughtful of her and decided to spoil her like he usually does."

"Yeah, well, he better not be making this a habit," Inuyasha grumbled as he sat down beside his wife. Out of habit, he took his full son from Kagome and cradled Yuuma in the crook of his legs. "It's really creepy." Turning to his wife, the disgruntled man told her bluntly, "And get that smile off your face—it's really grossing me out."

"Come on, Inuyasha. He's improving a lot," Kagome pointed out with a sigh. "I mean just remember how bad the two of you were a couple of years ago. There were a few times you were almost killed, not to mention the rest of us. And now the two of you can meet and not break out into a fight—and he's even giving gifts to Yuuma-chan." Standing up, Kagome went to help Sango with the laundry. "It's a good thing that Sesshoumaru's taken interest in Yuuma-chan, albeit a roundabout way."

"Hmph." The dog-eared man turned away from his wife and stubbornly focused his attention on his son.

Deciding on a topic change, Sango asked out loud, "Inuyasha, do you know where my husband went?"

Not looking up from playing with Yuuma, the father answered, "He took the sword to Kaede 'baba to see what they could do about it. If they can't figure out a proper seal for the sword and Yuuma, then I'll have to go to Totosai 'jiji to get everything fixed."

Kagome did her best to fight back her laughter. _Despite how you say you don't trust your brother, you're not suspicious at all about the sword that he's given to Yuuma. So what is it, Inuyasha? Do you trust Sesshoumaru or not?_

No one said anything for a moment, the only sound being Yuuma's gurgling and laughter. Everyone enjoyed the mild spring day, the warm breezes and rising humidity signaling the coming of summer. It was one of the breezes that conveyed a silent message from the forest to the village. His white ears swiveling forward, Inuyasha suddenly darted his head up. "I smell trouble."

"Huh?"

With Yuuma secured in his arms, Inuyasha suddenly stood on his feet and sniffed the air with a furrowed brow and an annoyed scowl. "Kouga is back."

"What? Already?"

"And he's with Sesshoumaru and Rin." A wave of demon energy shot out from the center of the forest, spreading into the town. Kagome shivered at the sensation while Yuuma burst into tears and wailed. They could hear animals and other sensitive children in the village make noise as the demonic wave passed through. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and flattened his ears while hissing, "Shit, they're going to fight."

_It's fine if they stay deep in the forest, _Inuyasha thought._ But Rin is with them. And knowing those two, they'll get carried away and come closer to the village. And who knows what two pure-blood demons could do from this distance. _Handing their son back to Kagome, Inuyasha instructed, "Stay here and out of trouble. Don't come unless I send for you. It'll be too dangerous for humans if Sesshoumaru and Kouga decide to go all out."

Kagome grabbed her husband's crimson sleeve before he took off. "Take care of Rin-chan. And please be safe."

To reassure her, the half-demon kissed his wife gently on the cheek. "Don't worry." Without another word, he leapt into the air and bounded towards and into the forest. As the two women continued to do housework, they could not help but to look towards the mass of trees in concern. Twenty minutes after Inuyasha went in, Keirin emerged from the forest. Sango rushed to her when she noticed the younger girl limping. "Rin-chan!"

"Rin-chan, what happened?" Kagome questioned as she helped Keirin sit on the ground and get off of her bleeding legs.

"Onee-san, Onii-san told me to get you," the teenager said instead. "He said to leave Yuuma-kun and to go to him."

Immediately Kagome picked up her bow and quiver of arrows while untying the sling on her back with Yuuma. The younger mother turned to her friend. "Sango-chan—"

"I've got everything under control here," Sango assured while taking Yuuma from Kagome's arms. "Hurry and go to Inuyasha."

"Thank you." Kagome replaced Yuuma's sling for her quiver of arrows and strung her bow. She tested the bowstring to be sure if its competence. Once sure of that, the young priestess quickly disappeared into the depths of Inuyasha's forest.

Tying Yuuma to her back, Sango quickly rushed into her home and returned with salve for Keirin and began treating the younger girl's injured knees. "What happened out there, Rin-chan? Were you attacked?"

The young lady bit back a yelp as the salve bit and stung the cuts on her legs. Hoping that talk would distract her from the pain, Keirin answered Sango, "Kouga-san appeared while Sesshoumaru-sama was visiting, and I got caught in between their quarrel." Keirin clamped her eyes shut as she tried to ignore the new pain biting through her leg. Once the initial wave subsided, she breathed, "I didn't know that they didn't get along."

"I wasn't aware of that either." Sango frowned while wrapping the wounds with clean bandages. "I never knew that Sesshoumaru-sama and Kouga have ever met before." _I'm sure that we would have known, too, if they had met. Kouga tells Kagome-chan everything, and he would surely tell her if he met Inuyasha's older brother. _"All right, Rin-chan, we need to get you inside. Your legs aren't that terribly hurt, but with what they've been going through these last weeks, it would best to give them a good rest. Here, put your arm on my shoulder and lean on me."

After some bustling, hopping, and limping, Keirin sat herself down inside on a cot and relaxed near the cooking fire. While Sango went to pour some tea for her, Keirin remarked out loud, "Sesshoumaru-sama seemed to know Kouga-san, and he said something strange."

"Strange?" Sango repeated as she poured tea into two cups.

"Sesshoumaru-sama said something about Kouga-san killing me once."

Sango frowned, wondering also what Sesshoumaru had meant. With the years she had spent with Rin, Sango knew how terrified the girl had been of wolves—after all, Rin had met her death by them. But the former demon slayer had never known that Kouga had been the one to kill Rin. Turning and bringing the tea to the teenager, Sango inquired carefully, "So he attacked Kouga when he approached?"

Keirin shook her head. "Sesshoumaru-sama only attacked after Kouga-san provoked him."

_If Sesshoumaru-sama knows that Kouga was responsible for Rin-chan's death years ago, why would he wait until Kouga provoked him to attack? Perhaps because Rin-chan bears no ill will against Kouga..._Sango's thoughts were broken as she heard a cacophony approaching her home.

"Neenee!" Hiroki shouted happily as he ran inside. "Neenee, look, look! Flowers! Flowers for you!" The little boy's excitement subsided when he saw his lovely big sister dirty and bandaged. "Neenee?"

"They're very pretty," Keirin smiled, hoping to keep Hiroki from crying. "Where did you find them, Hiroki-kun?"

"Onee-chan, what happened to you?" Haruna gasped as she walked in with a handful of flowers.

"Are you okay, Onee-chan?" Hina asked after her twin sister. She also had a bunch of blossoms to give to Keirin and their mother. "What happened when you went to the forest?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Keirin smiled awkwardly as she held her hands up. "It's nothing, really. I'm fine."

"No go, Neenee," Hiroki cried as he held onto Keirin. He hugged her around the neck, burying his already teary face into her shoulder. "No go away again."

Holding the toddler, Keirin repeated after him, "Again?" She looked up to the twins and Sango, hoping that they could clear up her confusion. "What does he mean by 'again'?"

"When the bandits attacked the village, remember Onee-chan? We thought—we thought you were gone forever, and Chichi-ue said that you were on a long journey and wouldn't come back." Haruna grabbed the edge of Keirin's sleeve and gave the older girl a relieved smile. "But you did come back."

"Onee-chan came back," Hina added while taking Keirin's free hand.

_Come back? Where did I come back from? The village has never been under attack…and I've never met them before in my life—I've never been in this time before now. So who are they talking about?_ The sixteen-year old gazed upward at Sango for explanations.

Seeing that the situation could not be avoided, Sango herded her children out of the hut. "Onee-chan and I are busy right now. I'll call you in when you can talk to her—but right now Haha-ue needs to speak with her alone. Understand?"

Her youngest child gazed at her with bright hope in his brown eyes. "Neenee stay?"

Not wanting to lie to her precious son, Sango compromised with, "She'll be here when you get back, Hiroki. Now go." Hina and Haruna took their little brother by his hand and left the hut. The three informed their mother they would wait with Kaede 'baa-sama until she called for them.

Once the children were gone and out of earshot, Keirin inquired, "Sango-san, what do they mean by 'came back'?"

_Where is everyone? Don't tell me that I have to tell her by myself!_ "They're confusing you with that girl that died, remember? You look a lot like her." The former demon-slayer hoped to stall for more time. Maybe her husband would return to back her up with this difficult situation?

"No, it's more than that. All of you—even Sesshoumaru-sama—you sometimes say these strange things, as if I should know what you're talking about. But I don't. I look like her…and her name must have been Rin, I understand that. But…" Thinking back, Keirin realized why everyone called her by her nickname with ease, how Jaken had known her name before they had even met, how Sesshoumaru seemed to know her without much effort…"You all think that I'm her, that girl returned from the dead."

When Sango made no effort to deny it, Keirin had to order herself to remain calm. "Why didn't anyone say anything?"

"We were worried about you," Inuyasha answered as he entered the hut. "We didn't want to hurt your feelings or have you think that we were just being nice to you because we thought you were Rin." He turned to Sango. "Has Kagome come back yet?"

The woman breathed a sigh of relief, glad she would not have to face Keirin alone. Shaking her head, she answered Inuyasha, "I thought she was with you?"

"She went to have a talk with Kouga alone. Tch," he clucked his tongue while looking outward in the direction his wife had gone with Kouga. "I guess it's taking her a while to explain things to that damn wolf."

Kagome then returned but froze at the doorway when she felt the heaviness in the atmosphere. Gazing around at the tense expressions, she asked, "What happened?"

Jabbing his thumb in Keirin's direction, Inuyasha said, "She knows."

"Did you tell her?"

"No," Sango answered for them. "Sesshoumaru-sama said something to her…"

"And she figured it out on her own."

Kagome frowned at the news. _What must she be feeling right now? I'm sure that she feels a little betrayed by us…by him. I would know that feeling, being considered someone I'm not. I'm sure she's not feeling any different._ "I'm sorry, Rin-chan," the priestess apologized. "We should have told you. We were afraid of how you would react. It's not a good excuse, but we just wanted you to be yourself without it hanging over your head."

The sixteen-year old's silence bothered everyone; and when she finally said something, they mentally sighed in relief. _At least she's still willing to talk._

"What—what was she like?" Keirin questioned quietly.

"In all honestly," Kagome started gently for everyone, "she was very much like you—only her history was different."

"We don't really know much about Rin-chan's past, other than the things that she told us while she stayed with us in the village," Sango added with a nod.

"When she first moved into the village with Kaede 'baa-sama, she told us a little about what her life was like before…" _Before she met Sesshoumaru,_ Kagome thought with a grimace. _How is Keirin going to feel knowing that Rin categorized her life according to Sesshoumaru?_

"Her mother, father, and brothers were killed by bandits in front of her when she was very young—she went mute from the trauma. Her village kept her around because they pitied her, but they treated her badly," Sango explained. Anger rose in her heart, the same anger she had felt when Rin had first told her life story. _How can people be so cruel to a child, an orphan of seven years no less? Rin was amazing to have survived for so long by herself._ "And then one day wolves attacked the village and killed her. But Sesshoumaru-sama revived her with Tenseiga. After that, she began traveling with him. We don't know much about the time she spent with Sesshoumaru-sama. She didn't talk about that much. We only got to know Rin-chan after she started living in the village."

"I can tell you about Rin during that time," a small voice croaked from the corner.

That was when everyone noticed a little green imp sitting dejectedly in a corner. Irritated, Inuyasha grabbed Jaken by the back of his robes and demanded, "What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were with Sesshoumaru?"

"Stupid humans, I've been here all along!" Jaken snapped as he shook himself free from Inuyasha's hold.

And that in fact was very true. When Sesshoumaru had first appeared in the village that morning, Jaken had jumped off the mokomoko and had silently waited while his lord and Inuyasha spoke. And then before Jaken could follow, Sesshoumaru went away to wait for Rin. Knowing that his master would not go very far until after his visit with the human girl, Jaken went to Edo to wait. He had followed Inuyasha into his own home and had sat in the corner—later following them to Sango's home—surprised and hurt that no one had noticed his presence until now. But he would show them now how important he, the great Jaken, truly was!

"Anyway, what that demon slayer said is true—wolves did take your life when you were but a little girl," the green imp nodded with his eyes closed knowingly. "Being as benevolent as he is, Sesshoumaru-sama granted you a second chance at life and revived you with Tenseiga. After that, like some odd human brat, you kept following Sesshoumaru-sama around. And how dependent you were!" Slapping a hand on his wrinkled forehead, Jaken groaned at the memories. "Granted Sesshoumaru-sama had you find your own food, but he most graciously supplied you with Ah-Un so you could keep up with us. And he replaced those stinky rags you wore for clothes with the best silks anyone, be he human or demon, could ask for. Honestly, sometimes you were more trouble than you were worth!" the toad demon snorted.

_He actually got that dragon for Rin?_ Inuyasha tried to grasp the concept in his mind; but no matter how hard he tried, he could not imagine his heartless half-brother doing a genuine act of kindness for some human girl he did not know. _That bastard got a dragon for her and replaced all her clothes—not to mention continually showering her with gifts afterwards. Man, for her to get Sesshoumaru to do such things…Rin was far more important than I thought._

"Was…Was Rin very happy?" Keirin asked haltingly.

"Are you kidding me? There was nothing else that you wanted! All you ever did was obey Sesshoumaru-sama and follow him," Jaken sighed._ Indeed, you didn't even listen to me a quarter as much as you did Sesshoumaru-sama. You human brat!_ "You hated being with other humans and you preferred staying with demons. Nothing could have separated you from Sesshoumaru-sama's side. Well, you should feel that way considering Sesshoumaru-sama rescued you from the dead a second time."

"A second time?" Everyone raised their brows at this, never having heard this story from the Rin of the past. When had Sesshoumaru raised her from the dead a second time? He had said so himself that Tenseiga could only revive someone from the dead once, and therefore he could not save Rin months ago; so why did Jaken's story say otherwise?

"But I thought Tenseiga could revive the dead only once?" Sango inquired, her voice hinting at the question that everyone asked as well.

"Yes, it can only revive a soul once from the dead—but Sesshoumaru-sama didn't use Tenseiga," Jaken said with self-importance. "This brat here got dragged down into Hell and became the Master of Hell's prisoner. Using Tenseiga's power, Sesshoumaru-sama created a pathway into Hell, bravely followed after her, and rescued her pitiful life again." At the memories, Jaken frowned at Keirin with tears in his eyes. Hastily he blinked them away and remarked smartly, "For initially being a small experiment for Tenseiga, you've become irritatingly important to Sesshoumaru-sama. Why, on more than one occasion Sesshoumaru-sama gave up his pursuit for Naraku because of you!"

Through her stay in the feudal era, Keirin had heard story upon story about the evil half-demon Naraku and the uncountable amount of suffering and sadness he had caused everyone. Jaken himself had even told Keirin about how Naraku had challeneged Sesshoumaru several times, the heartless half-demon making a point to humiliate the dog demon lord. So for Keirin to hear that Sesshoumaru had given up restoring his honor for the sake of a little human girl on more than one occasion spoke volumes about Sesshoumaru's regard for this Rin. "Jaken-san, do I really look like Rin?"

"Keh, who else would you be? You look like her, you sound like her, you act like her—" He sniffed at her clothing. "You even smell like her!"

"So…I'm the reincarnation of that Rin? Sesshoumaru-sama had no interest in me other than to find his ward?" Keirin gazed around the hut to gage everyone's expressions, their silent truthful answers. "Is that all he sees in me?"

"You impudent human! Do you need anything more from Sesshoumaru-sama other than his kind regard?" A waterfall of tears poured from Jaken's buggy eyes. "If only Sesshoumaru-sama minded me half as much as he does you! Oh, all my centuries of service would then be made worthwhile!"

Ignoring Jaken's outbursts and raptures about Sesshoumaru, Kagome assured the young girl, "Rin-chan, we told you that we believe that you're a reincarnation—but that doesn't mean we would have treated you any different. I think Sesshoumaru is the same—he wouldn't have treated you any other way."

"But he doesn't like humans, does he? There's no way Sesshoumaru-sama would have approached me if he didn't think I was Rin. He couldn't differentiate me from her, could he?"

"You have to understand. It's…it's difficult for him. He was her protector, her family. Especially when you look so much like her and share so many similarities, it's hard to—"

"There's no proof that I'm Rin!"

"You look like her," Inuyasha said gruffly with his arms crossed. "And your scent is exactly the same."

"It's all coincidence—you just might think that I look like her. And my scent could be similar to hers."

"I can't believe I'm saying this in his defense," the half-demon groaned, "but that's why Sesshoumaru spent so much time trying to get to know you. He wanted to know who you really were!" _You matter so much to him…can't you at least understand that?_

"I don't belong here." Keirin stood up and moved towards the doorway.

"Where are you going now?" Inuyasha and Jaken demanded angrily together.

"To the well."

"No, you're not." Glaring at her with his molten gold eyes, Inuyasha forcefully sat the girl back down and reprimanded, "You're hurt, you're angry, and you reek of good human blood. You're staying right here to heal your damn self and to cool your damn head down. There was enough trouble already today—we don't need to be having anymore."

"But—"

"Shut it. No argument. If you don't like it, then just go to bed now until tomorrow morning." Inuyasha then turned to Jaken and told him, "Go tell my damn brother that he needs to get lost. I can still smell him lurking in the forest. He can come back when she—" He nodded towards Keirin. "—decides that she wants to see his bastard self again."

As directed, Jaken went off to find Sesshoumaru, but not without a few choice words for Inuyasha calling his master a bastard. Keirin had her wounds treated again and changed her kimono before Inuyasha carried her to his home. She did not say a word to him or Kagome, and she did as the half-demon ordered: she went straight to bed to wait for the next day.

* * *

"One, two, three—go!"

THUD!

_Damn it, again._

Silently, Keirin collected herself and began the tiresome climb back to the top of the well. Having done this over and over again for three days straight, she had become an expert climbing out of the well on her own. There were grooves in the dirt walls, handholds and footholds, from where she had repeatedly climbed.

_Try again. Wish yourself home,_ she thought when she reached the well's edge. Looking down into the darkness, Keirin prepared to throw herself back in.

"What are you doing?" a deep voice demanded. Ten feet away Sesshoumaru stood warily. He observed the girl's dirty and slightly torn kimono and the smudges of mud all over her face, hands, and hair. She reeked of soil and sweat, her cheeks flushed from exertion. How long had she been at this well? Had she just climbed up from its bottom? Had she fallen in earlier?

_Why is she here?_

Keirin did not even bother to glance at the great demon while she muttered, "I want to go back home."

A strange sensation overtook Sesshoumaru, a sensation he experienced rarely but always because of Rin: fear. "Home?"

"I don't want to be here anymore," Keirin answered tonelessly. "I'm tired of this time period. I'm tired of living in the rough. I want to go back to my present." She pushed herself off the edge again and into the emptiness; however, Sesshoumaru caught her body, lifted her off the well, and set her feet firmly on the ground.

She wriggled in his hands, wanting to be free of him. "Let go of me!"

"Rin—"

"I'm not Rin!" The sixteen-year old backed away from him, an action that cut Seshomaru deeper than he would have ever anticipated. As she tried to balance herself on her one injured leg and her slightly better one, the girl shouted, "My name is Keirin—Asagao Keirin! I have a mother and father and an older brother back at home, alive! They weren't killed by bandits when I was little! I have a family and friends—I have people waiting for me back home. I'm not that girl you rescued from the wolves, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Tears fell from her downcast eyes. "I thought that you cared about me. But you weren't looking at me at all." Keirin hobbled towards the well and fell forward, only to be caught in Sesshoumaru's arms again.

"Let me go!" Keirin yelled while squirming in his hold. "Let me go!"

_I don't want your pity anymore!_

Ignoring her demands, Sesshoumaru held onto the teenage girl with a strong grip. After five minutes, he tired of her struggling and thus commanded sternly, "Stop."

Involuntarily, Keirin obeyed Sesshoumaru's voice. When she realized her actions or lack thereof, she felt furious with herself. Why did Keirin always listen to him? _Why do I listen to his every order? The others said that Rin obeyed Sesshoumaru-sama to letter…but I'm not her. So why can't I help myself?_

Seeing her calm, Sesshoumaru started, "Rin—"

"I'm not—"

"Rin."

The finality in his voice silenced her.

"Your sudden change of heart perplexes this Sesshoumaru." To even think about admitting such a statement to anyone embarrassed the dog demon; however he felt no such shame with this slip of a human girl. Admitting the truth to her had never been a problem; and even now he could be completely honest with only her. "What have you been thinking these last three days that I was gone?"

_What can I say?_ Keirin thought with a frown. _I'm hurt…I'm hurt that he thinks only of Rin when he sees me. I don't want him to only think of Rin—I want him to think of me. I want to go home. I miss everyone, and I'm tired of feeling this way. I don't want to see Sesshoumaru-sama anymore…but I still do…_

"Do you recall the time you told this Sesshoumaru about your lifelong search?" When he saw Keirin's confused expression, the great demon reminded her, "You told this Sesshoumaru that you have been searching for someone all your life, constantly seeking him but never finding him. And only now has your desire subsided. Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps this Sesshoumaru is the reason you fell through the well?"

He was the reason? But how did that have anything to do with the subject before? "Sesshoumaru-sama…"

"Do you remember what you told this Sesshoumaru in your last life?"

Keirin frowned at the mention of her "previous incarnate." Why was Sesshoumaru bunching Keirin with Rin when that was exactly what she disagreed with?

"Before you died, Rin, you asked if you could stay with this Sesshoumaru forever." Intense molten gold bore into innocent brown pools. "You promised to return to me."

_So he's saying that the one I've been searching for is him…and the reason I needed to find him was because of a promise Rin made?_ "But I'm not her," Keirin argued firmly. One way or another, she would make Sesshoumaru understand this. "I don't remember anything that you're talking about—it can't have been me that made you that promise."

Sesshoumaru would not be outdone by a human; he would not surrender his argument either. Going beyond his comfort and characteristic stoicism, he pressed, "Even if you do not have any memory of your past life, this Sesshoumaru knows that your soul is the same—you are the Rin from the past."

Keirin wanted to argue, but the rustling behind her kept her from responding. "Eh, look, it's that human girl with the odd scent." Twenty different demons appeared from the shadows and underbrush, surrounding the pair with glowing greedy eyes. "The rumors must be true then," a large ogre rumbled darkly. A number of specters agreed with him, all of them remarking about what they had heard on their way here.

"A great demon has been defending her religiously as of late. As payment, she gives him blood to drink. Her blood will heal you of any wound."

"That damn half-demon Inuyasha has been protecting her in his village. He knows by her sweet scent that she'll be delicious. You'll be granted powers from her flesh."

"As a pure maiden, her liver will extend your life."

"She'll definitely make a tasty meal," a spider demon hissed maliciously.

"Leave," Sesshoumaru growled at the unwelcome intruders. Why did so many useless creatures exist to interrupt him? Would he never have a complete moment with Rin alone? _Is this our fate until the end of time?_

"Keh, not without the girl."

"Then to Hell you go." Without so much as a warning, Sesshoumaru stretched his arm and used his claws to forever silence the annoyances. When three of their comrades fell, the other demons launched themselves together as a mass attack. Effortlessly Sesshoumaru lifted Keirin into his arms and leapt into the air to dodge the ambush. With his free right hand, he fell one opponent after another while protecting the girl. As the dog demon lord cut down every offending apparition and ogre, he wondered if this conflict was a premonition of the future. _Will I defend Rin like this for the rest of her life? There will be days when she is not immediately by my side—like the time she was killed. What will happen to her then? Will she finally forever pass on to the next World, never to be seen again?_

As his thoughts distracted him, Sesshoumaru missed two demons coming at him from behind. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Watch out!" Keirin shrieked as she clutched to him tightly.

With not enough time to completely defend the girl and safely fight the oncoming attackers, Sesshoumaru did not listen to her and kept his back to his enemies. Only after they sank their teeth into his body did Sesshoumaru slash their bodies to ribbons. He used his long sleeves to protect Keirin from the toxic blood splattered by the bursting flesh and organs.

_Why?_ Keirin gazed upwards at Sesshoumaru from beneath his hakama sleeves. _Why didn't he turn to attack them? Why did Sesshoumaru-sama allow himself to be touched?_

_It's because he cares about you._

_He cares about me like he cares for a pet,_ Keirin argued with herself. _Isn't that what Jaken-san said? Sesshoumaru-sama used Rin as an experiment for Tenseiga. She was nothing more than a pet to him._

_Jaken-san also said that_ initially_ she was an experiment, _her inner voice argued in return._ And then she became very important to Sesshoumaru-sama—didn't the others say they became family?_

_Pets become family all the time._

Keirin's conscience laughed at herself. _Would you go into the depths of Hell for a pet?_

Floating to the ground, Sesshoumaru drew Bakusaiga from its sheath and gave one mighty swing towards the demons in front of him. Immediately after, he swung his powerful blade left, right, and behind him and patiently watched his enemies disintegrate and infect others with Bakusaiga's destructive powers. Those unaffected by the sword's abilities ran away, unwilling to fight a great dog demon for the life of one puny human. Granted, her value was now greater than ever. But what they would actually gain from her did not cancel out what they lose in attaining her.

When Sesshoumaru finally felt sure that he and Keirin were once more alone, he placed the girl back onto the ground and took a seat against a nearby tree. Surprised by the lord's uncharacteristic show of fatigue, Keirin inquired as she touched his right sleeve, "Sesshoumaru-sama, are you all right?" She gasped at the crimson staining her hands and his clothes. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you're wounded!" She searched for an edge on her kimono to start a tear, but a large hand stopped her, as well as a pointed glare.

"This Sesshoumaru is fine."

His cold attitude and response reminded Keirin of a similar time, a long time ago.

_"Mind your own business—I don't like human food."_

_"Don't bother."_

_"What happened to your face?...You don't have to say if you don't want to."_

_Why is this attitude so familiar? Has Sesshoumaru-sama said this before?_ Shaking her head away from her thoughts, Keirin argued, "But—"

"No."

Finding that she could not stand up against him and feeling hopelessly guilty about his condition, Keirin collapsed onto her knees and tried to wipe away her forming tears. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru-sama. This is my fault. If you weren't protecting me, you wouldn't have gotten hurt!"

He did not bother correcting her since what she said was true; but he could not abide her to be in low spirits, so he compromised with, "This Sesshoumaru will do what he has always done for you, Rin. You will always be protected."

Always: he would not change, even if she did. That was Sesshoumaru's implication. He, in regards to Keirin, would remain the same no matter how much she changed. Overwhelmed with emotion, Keirin could not say anything else amidst her tears but, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

_So very different,_ the white-haired demon thought as he allowed Keirin to hold his hand. _But all the while the same. You're Rin's reincarnation, there's no doubt…but you are not Rin. _And so Sesshoumaru made a decision. "You have no concept of survival."

Jerking her teary gaze upward, Keirin asked, "What?"

"You have no concept of survival," Sesshoumaru repeated tonelessly. "Rin of the past could survive here. She grew up here and knew what she had to do to survive. You, however, do not." The fair-haired demon pushed Keirin away. "You must return."

"But I—"

"You kept your promise," he whispered. "You did as you said and came back—that is enough."

Keirin did not understand. _Why is Sesshoumaru-sama pushing me away now? What is it that I've done wrong now?_ "I also promised to stay by your side forever. Isn't that what you said earlier, Sesshoumaru-sama? Why the sudden change of heart? Why am I being sent away?"

Familiar feelings of abandonment and desperation invaded her heart.

_Don't leave me behind!_

A moment flashed through Keirin's mind, an eight-year old girl clinging to Sesshoumaru's sleeve, crying, _"Sesshoumaru-sama, why do I have to stay in the village? Am I not allowed to follow you anymore?"_

Sensing her growing panic, Sesshoumaru beckoned Keirin nearer and had her sit beside him. Resting a hand on top of her head, he pulled her close to him. Through her anxiety, his anchoring voice assured her, "By my side you will remain, but in your time."

"My time?"

"This Sesshoumaru will find you there, Rin. And there this Sesshoumaru expects you to keep your promise when we meet again."

Smiling in understanding, she nodded with tears in her eyes. "No matter where you are or how much time passes, I will find a way back to Sesshoumaru-sama's side. No matter where or when, I will always come back to Sesshoumaru-sama. I will wait for you forever."

_Forever_, Sesshoumaru mused as he remembered Rin's first vow.

* * *

The next morning, everyone stood by the Bone Eater Well to bid Keirin goodbye.

"Are you sure about leaving so soon?" Kagome asked in concern. "You sure you don't need another day to rest?" Yuuma peeked over his bundling to give the sixteen-year old a toothy grin.

"I'm fine, Onee-san," Keirin assured with the brightest smile. "I'm all right. Besides, I shouldn't procrastinate about getting back to my time. I'm sure everyone is worried about me."

"I'll miss you," Kagome said while she hugged the teen.

Sango nodded in agreement as she also embraced the younger woman. "I wish we could meet again someday."

"Maybe we will. Life is unpredictable, so you never know. But I'm sure I'll see you again someday somewhere." Keirin smiled to prompt happier faces on the two women. "I'm sorry about how I've acted these last few days. I'm very grateful for everything that you've done for me, and I won't forget anything." Turning towards Kagome and Inuyasha, she charged, "Take care of Yuuma-kun, Onee-san, Onii-san. I want to hear legends about him when I get home. I want to see him become famous, ne?" She then turned her attention towards Sango and Miroku. "Miroku-san, please be good to your wife. And I hope you will find the strength to keep up with all of your children and husband, Sango-san. You have a lot of work ahead of you."

"Thank you, Rin-chan," Sango kissed her on the cheek.

The twins and Hiroki clutched at Keirin's kimono, each of them with tear-stained cheeks and dripping noses. "Onee-chan, don't go," Haruna begged.

The other twin reached for Keirin's hands. "Please don't go away again, Onee-chan."

"Neenee, stay," Hiroki sniffled.

Keirin's heart broke to see the children torn-up over her leaving, but she knew she could not stay; she did not belong here. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry that I have to leave you three. But I need to go back. My family misses me too." She hugged them fiercely as she tried to fight against her own tears. "But I won't ever forget any of you. I'll always remember you."

"Onee-chan…"

Pulling away, Keirin touched the tips of their noses and beamed at them. "Hey, this isn't the end, right? I'm alive and well, and who knows? We might actually get to meet again. So if we do, I'll need you to be grown up and be good people like your mother and father. Do you think you can do that?"

Hina and Haruna nodded.

"We'll become strong women like Haha-ue."

"And we'll get husbands that might play with other women but love us the best."

"He'll have to be able to take a good beating though," Haruna reminded her twin.

"And know how well to treat us when they're trying to apologize for being caught flirting with other women," Hina nodded.

"Ah, just like Haha-ue and Chichi-ue."

"Oi, oi," Miroku grinned awkwardly as a bead of sweat ran down his face. He tried ignoring the meaningful glares his wife shot at him.

Relieved to see the children's tears and doleful expressions gone, Keirin smiled at Inuyasha. "Will you make sure that Sesshoumaru-sama isn't lonely when I'm gone?"

Snorting, Inuyasha demanded, "Are you still worrying over that mean bastard? He didn't even come over to tell you goodbye."

"Ne, you know as well as I do that isn't true," Keirin giggled behind her sleeves. She added in a whisper, "I know you can smell him in the wind. You've been edgy since you caught his scent, Onii-san."

_Damn it, she knew._ Seeing no point in denying it, Inuyasha softened his expression and explained lamely, "I just can't see how you can care about that bastard so much, that's all." He gazed at Keirin forlornly. "Why don't you just stay here?"

_Why don't you stay here with us, with him?_

"I don't belong here…I don't have a future here like Onee-san. And besides, Sesshoumaru-sama ordered me to return." Despite how cruel that order sounded, Keirin beamed with the brightest smile Inuyasha had ever seen: the type Rin had given him numerous times in the past. "I can't ever disobey him."

Indeed, Keirin could never go against his elder brother's wishes; definitely that much remained the same from her past personality. Seeing it fruitless to attempt convincing her to stay, Inuyasha lightly chucked the bottom of younger girl's chin and fondly told her, "Well, take care, you brat. Stay out of trouble in your time, all right? You won't have your great Onii-san to save your ass anymore over there."

"I'll be good."

"Rin! Rin! RIN!" Jaken bolted out of the woods, his arms waving frantically in the air. "Rin, are you leaving?" he screeched.

"Jaken-san!" Keirin grinned and waited for him, allowing the little imp to catch his breath before she spoke. "Yes, I'll be going now. I'm sorry about the trouble I gave you while I was here. I'm so glad that I met you, Jaken-san. I hope that we'll meet again in the future."

His buggy eyes larger and rounder than usual with fat tears, Jaken sobbed pathetically, "Why do you have to go?"

"Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama can't become all-powerful with me constantly underfoot, can he?" the human said with a cute tilt of her head. "And it might take a while for him to accomplish that…so I'll wait for both of you in the future. I'll patiently wait for Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken-san in the future and rejoin you without bringing too much trouble."

Wiping his snot away with the back of his sleeve, the small retainer grumbled, "Stupid girl—who would miss someone like you?" Used to his contrary behavior, Keirin hugged Jaken. Unable to win against her affection, Jaken held onto the girl and cried, unhappy that his little friend would leave him again.

After finally consoling Jaken enough to quiet his wailing into intermittent sobs, Keirin stepped forward towards the well. She adjusted the large sack of gifts that she was taking back on her shoulder while she positioned herself for the leap of faith. Just before she jumped into the well, Keirin looked back towards the darkness of the trees. Hidden in the patches of shadow and sunlight, a tall, fair figure stood. Quietly the young lady whispered to the wind, "I'll be waiting for you, Sesshoumaru-sama. I promise."

When the form shifted, she knew that he had heard her.

Taking a deep breath, Keirin closed her eyes and wished without regret or distracting desires to return home; and this time she knew she had her Sesshoumaru-sama's blessing as well. Fearlessly she stepped off the well's edge and leapt into the darkness of time.

_"Sesshoumaru-sama, you're here…"_

_"__I'm scared, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm scared of not being with you… I wanted to be with you forever… Rin wanted to be with Sesshoumaru-sama forever."_

_"May I return to you and try staying with you forever? May Rin promise to return to be with you forever?"_

_I will see you again, _Keirin swore as she felt time pass by and flow through her. _I'll be by your side forever._ She felt her body drop and land on a cushion of wishing papers. When she opened her eyes and stared upward towards a darkened ceiling of wooden rafters lit dimly with paper lanterns, she knew she had returned to present time Japan.

"Rin! Rin, are you down there?" she saw Souta yell from the top.

"Ah!" she shouted back up.

"Hold on a second! I'm throwing down a ladder now." His head disappeared for a moment, soon afterward reappearing with a rope ladder in his hands. "Watch out! I'm letting the ladder go now!"

As she climbed out, Souta anxiously stood by waiting for her. "Are you all right?" Souta asked as he helped Keirin out with the final heave over the well's edge.

"Un, thank you, Kusa." She held his hand to steady herself. "I'm all right."

"Rin, you should be a little more careful," the older boy warned her. He then noticed the silk brocaded pack on her back and wondered at its contents. Had she had that with her earlier?

"I'm sorry," she apologized. She then reached into her yukata sleeves and pulled out a scroll. "These are for you and your family."

"What is it?"

Keirin smiled. "They're letters from Kagome 'nee-san."

Souta stared at the scroll with wide eyes. Understanding lit his face into a smile as he nodded. "Thank you, Rin. Here, let me hold that for you." The young man helped her remove the pack from Keirin's back and held it between them: just in time, as Chisato burst into the well's shrine in a panic.

"Rin, are you okay?" Chisato demanded as she approached. The other girls came with her. "When we realized you weren't with us during the fireworks, we looked everywhere. And you weren't answering your cell phone! We're lucky that Kusa noticed you were missing right away—even luckier he knew where to find you. It's almost like you were connected."

"Sen, it's not like that, really," Souta reassured. "Someone came up to me and told me he saw Rin fall in."

"Yeah," Miki remembered while looking right and left. "Where did he go?"

Playing up the part of a friend that actually believed his friend had fallen down a well instead of through time, Souta strongly suggested, "Hey, let's go to my house and see if you're all right. Falling from this height, you could have hurt yourself. We should just check to make sure."

Forgetting her situation, Keirin told him, "Everyone's wishes broke my fall. I'm okay, really."

"Hey," Naoko exclaimed as she got a good look of Keirin, "weren't you wearing a yukata with sunflowers?"

_Oh, no, I was wearing my yellow yukata with sunflowers,_ Keirin realized in panic. She had not expected to arrive in the present so soon after she had disappeared into the past. And even if she had anticipated such an arrival, she could not have worn her old yukata; it had been completely ruined during her first escape from a demon.

"Where did this nice yukata come from?" Asami demanded haughtily as she observed her friend meticulously. "You definitely weren't wearing something like this earlier. And your hair is arranged differently…"

"Rin, now," Souta ordered as he pulled the girl away. He had predicted that something like this would happen. Thus, he needed to get Keirin inside, away from everyone's prying questions. "Just because you think you're okay doesn't mean that you are. I'll have my mother look over you before we decide if we have to send you to the hospital." He turned to the other girls and asked them gently, "Could you tell Rin's parents that she's going to stay here for the night? She'll go back straight home tomorrow, but for tonight I think it'll be safer if she stays put until we're sure about her condition." Souta looked to Asami, knowing that she would take his words to heart. "Please, as a favor for me?"

"Ah, okay. Of course, Higurashi-kun!" the curly-haired girl squealed. She grabbed Naoko and Miki to follow her beloved's orders.

Souta grabbed Chisato's hand before she could leave with the others. "Um, Sen, would it be okay if you stayed with Rin? She might feel more comfortable with you around."

"Do you think you guys can handle it?" When Naoko and Miki assured her that they would take care of everything—including Asami's crazy behavior and zeal—Chisato gave them a bow in thanks and promised that she would tell them of Keirin's status in the morning.

With that settled, Souta led Keirin and Chisato towards his home, where the two girls would stay in the spare room they usually stayed in. And in the morning, Souta and Chisato would hear the truth about Keirin's trip down the well.

* * *

As she made the final adjustments to her appearance, Keirin laughed at herself in the mirror. Before going back in time, she had needed her mother's help to put on a yukata or kimono properly; now, she could manage the task by herself, probably even better than most people in Japan. She could even pull up, twist, and pin her hair in place fashionably and without trouble. Her reflection was an image of neat, noble perfection—what a lady should look like if she wanted to stand by Sesshoumaru.

"Where did you get all of this?" Chisato asked as she walked into the bedroom from the bathroom. Unlike Keirin, Chisato had only woken up fifteen minutes ago and had just finished brushing her teeth and washing her face and still wore her pajamas. "And did you do that all by yourself? You look like you're about to go to the matchmaker."

Touching the embroidered pink flowers against the blue silk, Keirin murmured, "Heh, sorry, it's a habit now."

"What?"

"Ah, it's nothing," Keirin shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Just get dressed, and let's go downstairs together. I'll explain everything to everyone at once."

"Okay." Chisato quickly dressed herself, all the while thinking,_ What happened to Rin? What happened to her those thirty minutes she was missing?_

Once ready, the two teenage girls walked downstairs into the kitchen, where they saw Souta's mother preparing breakfast. Habitually they went to help her set table and put out the food. Ten minutes later, Souta and his grandfather came in and sat down to eat breakfast. The five of them ate together happily, mother and grandfather excited about the profit the festival had brought in and the high schoolers happy over the soon-coming break.

When the meal finished and the dishes were washed and put away, everyone started at Keirin expectantly. With everyone present, Keirin told her tale of how she fell down the well and ended up in the feudal era. While handing Kagome's family the letters the priestess had written, Keirin explained how she had encountered Kagome, Inuyasha, and their baby Yuuma; she remembered Sango, Miroku, their children, Jaken, and Ah-Un. She spoke of how Inuyasha's elder brother had rescued her twice and how she finally had managed to return home after spending so many weeks in the past.

"That's what happened?" Chisato shook her head. "That's unbelievable."

"But it's true." Holding out her silken sleeves, Keirin pointed out, "Otherwise, how would I have gotten all of these kimonos or learn how to put them on?"

"Mm, indeed the Bone Eater's Well is famous for its mysterious qualities," Souta's grandfather nodded, his eyes closed knowingly. "Why, I could tell you the entire legend that had been passed down our family for generations!"

"I'm grateful to you, Rin-chan," Souta's mother smiled as she held her daughter's written word against her heart. "I'm very glad that you were able to go back into time. Thanks to you, now I know that Kagome is doing all right. And now I'm a grandma." She put a hand to her cheek while giggling merrily, "Ah, who would have thought?"

"Heh, I guess that's why we became friends so easily," Souta laughed. "It's because you remind me of 'nee-chan. You're so much like her."

"You think so?" Keirin smiled as she remembered Kagome. "Well, that would explain why my wish finally came true."

Chisato's eyes grew wide as she grabbed her best friend's hands. "You met the person you were searching for?"

"Yes," Keirin nodded, "and now it's my turn to wait for him."

"All the way from the feudal era?" Chisato frowned in disbelief. "Do you think it's possible for him to meet you? Hundreds of years have passed since."

"If I could find him after so long, I'm pretty sure that he'll be able to find me. Besides, he isn't one to lie." Holding up a fist of determination, Keirin smiled with assurance. "He'll do it."

"For your sake," Chisato sighed, "I hope so."

The girls spent a little more time at the Higurashi shrine, helping Souta with his duties and cleaning up the temple grounds after the festival. Unable to find her phone—probably lost in the woods somewhere in Feudal Japan—Keirin decided at four o'clock that she would have to return home to report her lost item and to ask for a replacement. "Ne, Sen, will you go to the gate with me?"

Looking up from helping Souta sweep the courtyard, Chisato said, "Eh?"

"Come on!" Keirin grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her halfway across the temple before she could argue. Once they were out of earshot of other people, Keirin muttered, "So when are you going to confess to Kusa?"

A blush spread across Chisato's face, her cheek-short hair doing nothing to disguise her embarrassment and shock. "What?"

"Come on, I'm your best friend," Keirin grinned cheekily while nudging her friend with her elbow. "I can tell that you like Kusa a lot. I've known it since junior high."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Walking in front of Chisato, Keirin walked backwards while trying to convince the girl about her feelings. "Sen, I'm telling you that despite what you think, there's nothing going on between me and Kusa. We don't have any romantic feelings for each other." She chortled as she now began skipping backwards. "Besides, if you knew what I do, then you wouldn't be like this."

Jerking her head upwards, Chisato demanded in surprise, "Eh? What do you know?"

"Fu fu, wouldn't you like to know?"

"Rin! Tell me!"

"Ne, then catch me!" What Keirin did not expect was that she would need someone to do so. As she took a step backwards, her foot slipped, and Keirin tripped backwards.

Chisato reached a hand out to her friend, but their fingers just brushed. "Rin!"

_What bad luck_, Keirin cried as she fell and closed her eyes. _Honestly, why can't I stop falling?_ But the weightless sensation stopped, and she felt strong arms holding her. When she opened her eyes, she gazed into intense golden amber eyes. _Sesshoumaru-sama?_ Realizing her position, Keirin pulled herself away from her rescuer and bowed to him. Blushing, she thanked him and apologized. Wordlessly, he simply stared at her.

"Ah, Tsukishiro-san, you really did come over," Souta exclaimed when he joined the group. "I didn't think we would see you until next week."

"Chichi-ue wanted me to check on the treasures again, especially after the festival," the stranger, Tsukishiro-san, finally spoke. The sound of his deep voice sent shivers down Keirin's spine. "Apparently, he still has not fully grasped the term 'donation' as of yet. I apologize for this inconvenience, Higurashi-kun."

"It's all right. It's no trouble at all for you to visit." The young man then remembered the girls with them. "Oh, yeah, these are my classmates—er, well actually, they're my childhood friends, I guess we can say. This is Kurosaki Chisato and this is Asagao Keirin. Actually, it's a good thing you two met." Souta smiled at Keirin while gesturing towards the guest. "He's the one that saw you fall into the well last night and got me."

"Oh," Keirin gasped quietly. She shyly observed the tall, stoic man with short dark hair and intimidating golden-amber eyes. He looked to be about in his early twenties, his features youthful but mature and masculine. His dark suit, neat and immaculate, and confident and upright stance proved that his sternness was not just a façade. Something about him struck at Keirin.

"This is Tsukishiro Takuya-san," Souta introduced. "His father owns a large company here in Tokyo, and recently their family has donated some national treasures to our temple for safekeeping."

"Here?" Chisato shook her head. She knew exactly how Souta's grandfather kept up with the so-called treasures already left at the temple. "Honestly, wouldn't these national treasures be safer with Tsukishiro-san's family and their high-security vaults?"

"There are some…spiritual securities that are necessary," Takuya replied. His response made Chisato slightly cower, but Keirin found no anger or annoyance in his voice. He was simply answering the question. "And what we've given to the temple shouldn't actually be called national treasures, as Higurashi-kun insists on. They're just a few old swords made in the feudal era."

"Don't listen to him," Souta grinned. "They're actually very beautiful and well-maintained for objects as old as they are. Come on," he waved, "I'll show you as long as Tsukishiro-san doesn't mind."

Shrugging with indifference, the older man answered, "It doesn't matter."

With permission given, Souta led the way towards the treasure room. He carefully pulled the doors open and guided his guests into the dark storage room. "Here they are." They stopped in front of a sword rack that held two weapons, a long sword and a shorter one. "Onsaiga and Agoyakuga: supposedly there were two more swords made before these two by the lord, but they were lost a long time ago. Only these two remain."

"Wait, I recognize these swords." Instinctively Keirin reached out a hand towards the kodachi called Agoyakuga, its intricately patterned scabbard reminding her of one she had seen elsewhere before. _But it can't be the same one…I left it back there, with Sesshoumaru-sama…_ Keirin gazed upwards at the young businessman and inquired, "How did you inherit these?"

"According to the family legend, we received them as gifts from the gods and were charged to watch and care for these weapons. And in turn the weapons would protect our clan." Tsukishiro glanced at Onsaiga. "But after some research, I discovered that we inherited these weapons from the first head's uncle, a powerful lord from the western lands. Supposedly the swords are both made from demon fangs, Onsaiga meant to fight and seal away demon powers and Agoyakuga meant to protect and defend its bearers. For centuries our family has passed the weapons down to every head, and we've been blessed through all those years. However, as of late, the weapons have been _misbehaving_."

"Misbehaving?"

"Whoever touches these weapons receives visions of a frightening demon waiting for particular prey to come close."

Chisato shivered and hid behind Keirin. "A demon?"

"A monster that has plagued at least ten clansmen's nightmares for many days," Tsukishiro confirmed. "My father, the present clan head, therefore decided to turn the weapons over to the Higurashi shrine in hopes to exorcise the demon possessing these swords. The elders think that somehow our clan has displeased the gods that have blessed us, and therefore a demon has come to make us repent. But personally I do not see a problem." Deep in his stern features, Keirin could see a hidden gentleness as the man laid a hand on the sheathed blades. "I do not believe a demon possesses these swords. The message that they're trying to convey is completely different, especially this sword, Agoyakuga…"

"Agoyakuga?"

"A blade of promising love and tender protection," Tsukishiro explained. "That is what is written on the hilt. Like my clansmen, I have seen the visions before. But I do not see a terrifying demon. Rather, I see a solitary figure waiting for someone: a young, innocent soul."

"Sounds a little suspicious to me," Chisato frowned, slightly over her fright from before. "What would he want with an innocent soul?"

"He wants to keep his promise to her," Keirin beamed as she stood beside Takuya.

Intrigued, the young man inquired, "What kind of promise?"

While gazing at him softly, Keirin took his hand. Takuya wondered why he let her. "Takuya-sama—may I call you that?—let me tell you a story about a powerful but cold man and a little sprite of a girl." And together the two walked out of the treasure room and towards the ancient tree in the middle of the temple grounds, hand in hand.


	8. Epilogue

**Disclaimer**: "Inuyasha", its characters, series plots, etc. do not belong to me.

**Author's note (26.10.2009):** I've revised the prior chapters of some grammatical and lexical errors, so please reread those when you have the time or desire. Hopefully it will improve your reading experience and your impressions of my skills…har har, if only people thought well of my writing.

To quickly explain the significance of everyone's names:

**Sesshoumaru**: 'killing perfection'  
**Takuya**: 'eminent one'

**Rin**: 'companion' or 'little flower'  
**Keirin**: 'beautiful forest'

**Souta**: 'tall grass'  
**Kusa**: 'grass'

**Chisato:** 'great distance'  
**Sen:** 'thousand', one of the characters that make Chisato

**Jaken**: 'evil point of view/unkind/hard-hearted'  
**Warukuchi**: 'evil words/slander/evil speaking'

So this is the final part of "Promise." I hope that everyone enjoyed reading my take on the Inuyasha universe, specifically Rin and Sesshoumaru's unique relationship. Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions: they were immensely helpful. So, I dedicate this final part to those who read through this story to its ends and have supported it through and through.

Thank you all and happy reading!

* * *

**Promise  
Epilogue**

* * *

A third-year senior high student with shoulder-length brown hair chatted with her two friends merrily as they prepared to go home for the afternoon. As three girls went on with their lively conversation, a girl with long curly locks glared at them from five meters away. When the three chatting girls made eye contact with the girl with long curly locks, the long-locked girl turned her nose up into the air and walked to another part of the classroom in a snit. Naoko, one of the girls standing and chatting, sighed and said, "So I've noticed that Asami-chan hasn't joined us for anything for the last four weeks." She gave Chisato, the seated girl with the shoulder-length hair, a bleak smile. "I'm guessing that she still hasn't forgiven you yet, huh?"

"Oh, she'll get over it eventually," Miki chuckled while brushing a hand through her thick ponytail, her being the other student standing and chatting. "After all, Higurashi-kun was the one who asked Chisato-kun out. She can't stay mad at you if he's the one who picked you." The tall, star volleyball player sighed tiredly, "I'm just glad that you two finally got together, even if it is near the end of our last year of senior high."

"I know what you mean," Naoko agreed with Miki with a wry grin as she adjusted her glasses. "Their feelings have been obvious from day one; you'd think that they would have noticed during our first year."

Chisato blushed and smiled sheepishly at her friends' subtle encouragement. It had taken Souta and Chisato two agonizingly slow years to finally publicly admit their feelings and begin a dating relationship, and throughout that time their friends had been pushing them closer together. After all of the hardships that the couple went through, simply thinking about their present relational bliss made Chisato grin foolishly. However, Chisato's face quickly sobered when she noticed Asami watching their group from the distance. "I hope that she'll come rejoin us soon," the young lady whispered. "It's not the same without her."

"Oh, she's just cranky. Leave her alone and she'll come around," Miki assured lightheartedly. "In the end, she'll fall in love with another boy, and she'll realize that being mad over this is just silly."

"Hey, where is Kei-chan?" Naoko looked left and right and around the classroom. She noticed the schoolbag missing at Keirin's desk. "Don't tell me she left already."

"Ah, she had something to do immediately after school," Chisato remembered as she zipped up her own bag and stood up from her desk.

Naoko led the three of them out the door. While she headed the group to the shoe lockers, the spectacled girl asked, "She went on a date again, didn't she? With that Tsukishiro guy?"

"What _is_ that about?" Miki questioned as she switched her indoor shoes for her outdoor ones. "I've wanted to know for the last two years but could never get a question in. If I remember correctly, she just met Tsukishiro-san one day at Higurashi-kun's temple. And from then on, they've been spending whatever time they have together. Kei-chan tells me that this guy isn't her boyfriend, but what else do you call a guy that you've been seriously dating for two years?"

"He's kind of sketchy, that Tsukishiro Takuya-san," Naoko whispered to her two friends while the three girls stepped out onto the school grounds. "According to all of the magazine profiles and internet blogs, he's eight years older than Kei-chan and he has a dangerous reputation in the business world."

Indeed, Tsukishiro Takuya was famous throughout Japan for his cold demeanor and lack of a human heart. In the last five years, he had forced five rival companies to shut down, merged two competitors into his own company's ranks, and changed the interior workings of Japanese business. Granted, Tsukishiro had given more people jobs due to his hostile takeovers and had cleansed a corrupted system; but still he had heartlessly forced a number of top executives to an early retirement. Everyone in business knew the handsome, expressionless face of Tsukishiro Takuya and his demonic, cut-throat management style. Respectably, his name was never scandalously attached to any other female, famous or not. But that was simply because no one had the guts to make up a story about Tsukishiro Corporation's shining star or even interview him to confirm any existing rumors.

"I'm surprised that Kei-chan would want to be with a man like him," Naoko shook her head, pushing up the bridge of her glasses. "I thought nice, quiet boys like Higurashi-kun and Kabuto-kun were more her style."

"Eh, she's always been the type to go after older, mature men," Miki grinned knowingly. "I'm simply surprised that Chisato-kun and Higurashi-kun aren't against the match," she remarked with a nudge towards her shorter friend.

"What is there to be against?" Chisato smiled. "Rin and Tsukishiro-san aren't dating—they're just together."

Naoko and Miki traded speaking looks and then turned their attentions on Chisato. "He takes her out to eat, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"He treats her on his or her days off…they go to amusement parks, overnight trips, and things like that, right?"

"A few times," Chisato admitted.

"She gives him something on Valentine's Day and he gives back on White Day, yeah?"

"Yes, but—"

"She's even slept over at his place more than once, ne?"

"It was too late to return her home…"

Holding up their hands to stop Chisato from responding, Miki and Naoko said in unison, "They're dating."

"They aren't dating," Chisato assured with a deep sigh. "I know that's how it seems, but they don't regard each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. It's a complicated relationship that no one but Rin and Tsukishiro-san understand." Indeed, even if Chisato and Souta knew about Keirin's previous incarnate and her relationship to the dog demon Sesshoumaru, they could not explain to others the connection between Takuya and Keirin—even Keirin's two best friends could not understand the complexity of that relationship.

_A promise that transcends time and life and death_. Eighteen-year old Chisato could not help but to sigh at the thought. She wondered how Keirin and Takuya would keep the vow to remain with each other forever in today's society. _Well, if she can keep a promise to reincarnate and be by his side forever, and if he can manage to find her here after hundreds of years, then anything is possible with those two. I have faith that they'll achieve their desires._

Pulling ahead of her two friends, Chisato exclaimed, "Let's go to that café next to the station!" She ran down the sidewalk as fast as she could. "Last one there treats everyone!"

Panicked by Chisato's deal, Miki and Naoko shouted while chasing after her, "Hey, wait for us!"

* * *

Dressed in a sable suit with a wine-red shirt and white tie, a tall young man walked ahead while an eighteen-year old girl merrily followed several feet behind him. "Takuya-sama," her sweet voice called out.

A deep voice sternly scolded, "I told you to stop calling me that," while the man turned to face the younger girl. He waited for her to catch up, only continuing when she strolled right beside him.

"But it's so fitting," Keirin teased as she took his large hand into her smaller one. "Besides I'm the only one that calls you that. Everyone else calls you Tsukishiro-shachou or Tsukishiro-san. Ne, or if people are really nervous like Warukuchi-san, then they'll call you Tsukishiro-sama." She knew that it was not nice, but Keirin could not help but to laugh at Takuya's newest personal aide. Although a good worker, Warukuchi was known to mutter insults and complaints about Takuya beneath his breath, only to freeze up under his employer's icy stare and to shrivel up and cower in absolute submission. He was a funny, frazzled man, lanky and awkward and overconfident, who reminded Keirin of someone else much shorter… "But see? No one else calls you Takuya-sama like I do."

_No one else has permission to use my first name._

Seeing the futility in pushing for his point, Takuya yielded to Keirin's insistence and moved on silently. The couple walked down the street a little longer, giving side glances to show windows here and there. After passing three boutiques, Keirin quietly asked, "Do you not really like it?"

Dark-haired Takuya turned away from her, a sign that he felt embarrassed. "Only in public: I don't want others thinking oddly of our relationship."

Keirin fought back a giggle, knowing that the twenty-six-year old would not appreciate her thinking him cute. Instead she asked him, "Ne, when has Takuya-sama ever cared about what others think?"

_Only when they're thinking about you_—but he would never admit that out loud. The company president changed the subject, inquiring, "When will you be done with classes?"

"We'll be graduating next month," was the instant answer. Keirin knew what Takuya was doing, and she let him get away with it. As compensation, she swung their joined hands back and forth: an action that the man did not usually permit in public. "After graduation, I'll be moving out of my house and attending Tokyo University." She paused for a moment in front of a shop window to admire Takuya's newest gift to her: a new light cream dress with a spring green jacket on top. Takuya had bought this outfit for her on a whim, having seen it in a boutique window and thinking it suited Keirin.

_He's always doing things like that…like when he bought me a cell phone only after knowing me for two days._ Ah, now that was a memory to smile at. At that time, Takuya and Keirin had only known each other for two days; and when he had found out that she had lost her phone during her stay in Feudal Japan, the company president had immediately purchased a phone for her to use. Takuya could not put up with the idea of being unable to contact Keirin when he so desired. _Ne, it looks like he's spoiling me…but he's actually spoiling himself when he takes care of other people. But that's one of the great things about him._

"Congratulations on being accepted," Takuya said with a slight upward curve of his mouth: invisible to most eyes, but blatant to Keirin. He gave her hand an extra squeeze so she knew just exactly how happy he was for her.

"Ne, I had Takuya-sama's help," the young lady reminded gleefully. "I don't think I would have passed the entrance exams if you hadn't helped me study." Indeed, anyone could have passed Tokyo University's entrance exam after going through Takuya's intensive week-long educational boot camp. Keirin had almost died during that time but felt grateful that Takuya had taken time out of his busy schedule to tutor her. His employees had been unhappy about his impromptu "vacation," especially when they were in the final stages of completing a major account; Warukuchi-san had thrown a fit every day that week. But their president never took vacations, so no one could muster the courage to tell him he should not leave then. Instead, most had done what Warukuchi-san had done, which was to tearfully and unwillingly wish Takuya a relaxing time out of the office.

_Everyone may be scared of him, but they sure do depend on him. Poor Takuya-sama, always responsible for so many people—heh, he really is a softie!_

When Keirin smiled with a carefree spirit, Takuya felt relieved. Pleased that she did not hold bitter feelings against him for the brutal studying sessions he had forced her through, he told Keirin, "I'll treat you when I return from my business trip."

_Ah, he said that he would be leaving today for the mainland,_ the young lady remembered. "How long will you be gone this time, Takuya-sama?"

"Seven days."

Her heart fell with the number. "So long?"

"It's a little longer than usual because of an engagement meeting my parents planned," Takuya explained with a straight face. The young company president wondered how his companion would take this news. There were only two possible outcomes, both unfavorable for him.

"Oh, an engagement meeting…" Predictably Keirin dropped his hand from hers and walked a bit further ahead.

"Rin."

Takuya rarely called her name, and for him to use his term for endearment for her meant he was serious. Keirin turned to face him at his command, a smile still plastered across her face. However, Takuya knew better than to believe that bright grin. He knew very well that inside Keirin was trying to keep her tears at bay.

"Come here."

Wordlessly Keirin returned to his side. When she stood close enough, Takuya wrapped his powerful arms around her and held her close. "Don't be like that," he whispered into her ear.

The girl's face buried into his shirt, he felt the vibrations ask, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Takuya promised her with his deep voice. "And you're not leaving me anytime soon. So don't worry."

_Ah, he saw through me, like always._ Pulling away from him slightly to stare up at him, Keirin started, "But you'll need to marry a proper lady soon, yes? The president of the Tsukishiro Corporation needs a strong, beautiful lady as a wife by his side, right? I remember Tsukishiro-san speaking about that at the last party."

_She heard Chichi-ue say that?_ The young man felt his anger flare at the audacity of his father to say such things in front of Keirin. And now she had some sort of silly notion deeply rooted in her mind...

"Ne, Takuya-sama can't afford to stay close to me—I'll only bring you more trouble and greater burdens. I can't be selfish by demanding for more of your precious time. You'll have to spend a lot of time with your wife when you marry." To say it out loud gave Keirin a restless feeling as well as depression. It took her sixteen years to find her Takuya-sama, and since then she had not gone longer than two days without him by her side. She could not imagine how she would live when he finally married.

Hoping to disguise her anxiety and unhappiness, she prattled on, "Already people don't understand our relationship and give Takuya-sama so much grief over it. And life will become even more difficult for Takuya-sama if you're engaged and I'm still by your side. You can't be seen spending time with two women, and since I won't be engaged to you, I will have to surrender Takuya-sama to your fiancée. It's only right, after all. And then—"

"Rin."

"—I wouldn't be able to—"

"Rin."

She stopped to stare.

"I'm not getting married."

"But—"

"I'm not getting married." Takuya looked down at Keirin, his stern eyes daring her to challenge his statement.

The tenderness of her gaze marked her surrender. But she still inquired, "Won't you become lonely?" _Won't you be lonely if you don't have a proper woman with you? You can't possibly want to live alone without a family of your own._

"Why would I be lonely when I have you with me? You're staying with me, aren't you?" The man frowned when he did not hear an immediate reply. At the hint of a changing tone in his voice and the slight furrow of Takuya's dark brows, Keirin knew that he was frustrated with her. But his frustration melted away as his strong arms tightened around her and he sighed into her long, dark hair. "Rin, when I asked you to stay by my side two years ago, I meant it both ways. I want you to forever be with me; and in turn, I will forever remain with you. Isn't that our purpose together?"

_Isn't that what you swore as your last incarnate and I as mine?_

"Are you sure?" Keirin whispered. "Is it okay to stay like this? Won't your parents be angry?" She gazed at him through her warm chocolate eyes. "Will we be able to stay together like this?"

To give Keirin enduring assurance, Takuya kissed her on her crown and rested his forehead against hers.

"Promise."

**The End**


End file.
